READING THE RECORD
Start with the record. Then explore the story.
A reading guide to the difference between a court record, a reported account and a screen adaptation.
The case involves real people, including Leslie Mahaffy, Kristen French and Tammy Homolka. Their lives should not be reduced to the nickname attached to the offenders.
Begin with a clearly identified source. The Department of Justice Canada’s analysis of resolution agreements discusses the legal context of the Homolka agreement and Bernardo’s 1995 convictions. It is a government research publication, not the underlying judgment.
Books provide narrative and interpretation. The publisher pages for Invisible Darkness and Lethal Marriage establish their authors and subjects; they are not independent verification of every statement in those books. Read different accounts critically.
Documentaries also make editorial choices. A dramatized movie goes further, potentially condensing events and inventing dialogue. Neither should silently stand in for a primary source.
This case guide is a starting collection. We link to sources, identify the type of material, and leave space for further reporting, podcasts and lawfully shareable court documents.