Joseph Wambaugh was strongly influenced by Truman Capote’s ‘In Cold Blood’ when he wrote his first non-fiction work, ‘The Onion Field’, and one can immediately see similarities in his writing style, and although it is slightly more graphic than that of Capote, it shows a similar attention to detail. This may seem tedious to some, who might feel that at almost 500 pages, it could have been much shorter, but for me it is a major strength of the book, as the slow progression towards the fateful events in the onion field gives us an in-depth insight into the warped characters of Gregory Ulas Powell and Jimmy Smith.It is difficult to feel anything other than contempt for either Powell or Smith, whose characters are succinctly summed up by Sergeant Pierce Brooks:‘It is hardly necessary to state that both men were homicidal, however they are definitely of two different types. Powell, a boastful egomaniac, was a cool, treacherous, scheming, cold-blooded killer. Smith, con-wise and cunning, was more impetuous and cowardly. Thus, if possible, Smith could be considered a more dangerous killer than Gregory Powell. There was no question of their sanity, and no pleas of insanity were entered.’From my point of view, although I found the crime shocking, it was the shambles of the subsequent trial and re-trials and the appalling treatment of the surviving police officer that left me angered. That the victim of a violent crime was dealt with in such a manner by the LAPD and the justice system, to the point where he was made to feel responsible for everything that occurred, was nothing short of a disgrace. Yes, with hindsight it is easy to be critical of what happened in 1963 given that PTSD is now routinely recognised and treated, but it doesn’t make it any the less shocking to the reader. Hopefully many lessons were learned from this shameful episode.That this trial and re-trials were conducted with so many changes of judge, prosecutor and defence attorney between 1963 and 1973 was equally unbelievable and begs the question how a fair trial could ever be achieved in those circumstances. I had never heard of Irving Kanarek before reading this book, but being profoundly irritated by his obstructive tactics in this case, found that he was subsequently the defence attorney for Charles Manson in 1970 and within the first three days of that trial had filed over 200 objections, after which the press lost count. I had no liking for Jimmy Smith, but surely he needed to be represented by someone interested in defending him rather than holding up the process by whatever means he could find? Some of the courtroom scenes wouldn’t have looked out of place in Alice in Wonderland, except that rather than the theft of jam tarts, this was a case of cold-blooded murder, and all those involved deserved better.
The Onion Field by Joseph WambaughThe Onion Field tells the true-life story of two young Los Angeles Police Department detectives who are kidnapped by two robbers in 1963, and the subsequent ordeal of all four men. The book is structured like an episode of television’s Law and Order - the first half of the book focuses on the crime, while the second half focuses on the numerous, protracted criminal prosecutions that follow the incident.Wambaugh raises important questions about the purpose of the criminal justice system (punishment, retribution, rehabilitation?), the criminal legal process and disparity between official policy and actual police practice.Wambaugh illustrates how our system of laws exist to protect the criminals and police departments exist to protect the ‘integrity’ of those institution per se, but there is no system or institution that protects with similar zeal and diligence the rights of police officers, victims, or prosecutors, i.e., the three parties most intimately associated with the crime (besides the criminal).The Onion Field makes it understandable why police protect one another when faced with allegations of misconduct by civilians - they have to protect themselves because the system is not there to protect them.
What do You think about The Onion Field (2007)?
True-crime "nonfiction novel" very much in the In Cold Blood mode, especially in how the relationship between the two killers is perhaps the most interesting aspect. Rough going, at first, as Waumbaugh has to rely on his rather florid prose stylings (and stilted recreated dialogue) to establish and evoke character (and his moments of judgment, in various matters of police and legal procedure, are so obvious that you wonder how selective he was in his inclusion and exclusion of information), but the story, when it takes over from its chronicler, could probably be described as "compelling" or whatever cover blurb-ready adjective you prefer.
—Mark
Good. But. I didn't enjoy reading. I have come to understand that there are two things i have limited patience for in true-crime genre:1. Dumb criminals committing murders for dumb reasons on the spur of the moment. That kind of crime is boring to me.2. The Capote style dramatization of events. All true-crime has this to some degree by necessity. However if, the entire book reads this way I lose interest quickly. I'm not reading non-fiction for the prose and author's dramatic flair. This is especially the case when both dramatized version of events and documented court proceedings are present in the same book.
—Mr Stewart
"The Onion Field" is the sad tale of the murder of a police officer and the legal circus that ensues when his murderers are tried. Although "The Onion Field" is a true story, it is written much like a novel in some sections. Other sections are written much like newspaper articles. Structurally, "The Onion Field" resembles the television show "Law and Order" in that the first half of the book describes the crime and the police work, and the second half describes the legal proceedings. Throughout the book, Wambaugh does an excellent job of presenting the criminals, the cops, and even the lawyers as complex but comprehensible people. The dysfunctional partnership between the two oddball criminals is entertaining, and provides a sharp contrast to the partnership between the two cops. I found the dialogue strained and simplistic at times, but since I am not an expert on the street slang or cop jargon of the early sixties, the problem may have been my viewpoint rather than the dialogue. Wambaugh also uses a dramatic device of introducing a vaguely identified character at the very beginning of the novel, but letting the reader figure out that the character is someone closely involved in the story. That is a nice touch. Although "The Onion Field" is not nearly as fast-paced or humor-laced as his later novels, I recommend it for anyone who wants a glimpse into the minds of criminals, cops, and lawyers. However, there is very little humor in this book, and you may find it infuriating or even depressing.
—Warren
