Overview
Just Mercy chronicles preeminent attorney Bryan Stevenson’s fight against injustice in America’s legal system. The focal point of the work is the case of Walter McMillian, a black man who was wrongly convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of a white woman in Monroeville, Alabama.
Stevenson intersperses Walter’s tale with chapters focusing on other disparities endemic to America’s justice system. He examines the imprisonment of children, the poor, people with intellectual disabilities, and an overall system mired in racial bias. Many of the anecdotes Stevenson recounts revolve around clients of his or the nonprofit he co-founded, the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI).
A Broken System
The details of Walter’s conviction are outrageous. When the crime was committed, he was at a fish fry with over 100 guests. He was held on Death Row before the trial had begun. The state relied on a perjured testimony and withheld crucial evidence to build its case. Finally, an almost all-white jury sentenced him to life in prison, but the judge, Robert E. Lee Key, chose to deal Walter the death penalty instead.
If Walter had been imprisoned, EJI wouldn’t have assisted him, and he would have died in prison for a crime he did not commit. These details are indeed outrageous and infuriating, but they are not unusual. Unfortunately, many Americans are affected by this broken system that is in dire need of reform.
“The real question of capital punishment in this country is, Do we deserve to kill? ” – Just Mercy
Recommendation
Just Mercy blew me away. I cannot adequately emphasize how beautiful, inspirational, informative, and heart-wrenching this book is. I couldn’t put it down or stop talking about it with friends. While I became frustrated with the evident lack of justice for so many in our country, the book also gave me a sense of hope.
It is possible that the anecdotal and empirical evidence presented by Stevenson is enough to make people reconsider their views on the death penalty. Personally, I oppose it. It is ineffective, unjust, and does not respect human dignity. It is worth noting that support for capital punishment is at its lowest in decades. Regardless of your opinion on capital punishment, I strongly encourage everyone to read this book.
Get your copy of Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption
