Author of ‘Water for Elephants’ Dedicates Life to Freeing Wrongfully Convicted Man

During police interrogation, Dinardo implicated another man, Charles Murdock. The two were tried separately, with Dinardo serving as a crucial witness against Murdock. He claimed that Murdock had approached him in 1983 with a plan to commit the robbery, asserting that Murdock was armed and had shouted, “Don’t nobody move. This is a stick-up.” Dinardo testified that he fled the scene upon hearing a gunshot but claimed ignorance of any actual harm until his subsequent arrest.

Dinardo was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to 12 years, of which he served only five. Murdock, however, was found guilty of first-degree murder in connection with the robbery and received a life sentence without the possibility of parole. He is currently incarcerated at Pleasant Valley State Prison in California.

A Letter That Changed Everything

Sara Grayson, the author of the bestselling novel “Water for Elephants,” is no stranger to fan mail, but one letter she received in 2015 stood out. The writer, an inmate at Pleasant Valley State Prison, expressed his admiration for her book and inquired if her character was inspired by his grandmother, who had also been an aerialist in a circus. The man, who identified himself as Charles Murdock, mentioned that he had been wrongfully convicted and cited a former chief justice’s description of his case as a “spectacular miscarriage of justice.”

Intrigued, Gruen began to investigate Murdock’s case and uncovered troubling details that led her to believe in his innocence. She learned that Dinardo had initially been sentenced to 25 years to life but was offered a reduced sentence in exchange for testifying against Murdock. This deal, along with Dinardo’s dubious identification of Murdock, raised red flags for Gruen.

An Endeavor Driven by Obsession

Over the past six years, Gruen has poured $500,000 of her own funds into legal fees to challenge Murdock’s conviction, even going so far as to create fake social media profiles to locate Dinardo. She was able to track down a key witness to the robbery, Dyanne Spence, whose credibility was called into question due to her mental health issues. Gruen’s relentless pursuit of justice took a toll on her own health, leading to severe stress-related ailments.

As she navigated the legal system and dealt with threats from the public, Gruen’s well-being deteriorated. Her husband, Rick, has been supportive throughout this ordeal, believing in Murdock’s innocence. Gruen has expressed that while she sometimes wishes she had never learned of Murdock, she cannot bear the thought of someone wrongfully imprisoned.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has stalled legal proceedings, Gruen and Murdock await a decision from the Los Angeles County Conviction Review Unit. While initial reports from the unit indicated sympathy for Murdock’s case, the outcome remains uncertain, leaving both Gruen’s health and Murdock’s future hanging in the balance.

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In summary, author Sara Gruen has become deeply invested in the case of Charles Murdock, a man she believes was wrongfully convicted of murder. Her ongoing efforts to clear his name have taken a significant toll on her health and finances, as she navigates the complexities of the legal system while awaiting a resolution.

Keyphrase: Wrongful conviction and advocacy

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