Book Review: Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Happy New Year!!!
What an amazing way to start out 2020; finishing a most humbling and intense account of one man's navigation through the legal proceedings involving some of America's most deeply rooted issues, and his attempts to free those wronged by this system.
Bryan Stevenson is a Harvard Law graduate who started the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama in 1989. He had barely any resources other than his determination and very very small amounts of funding. He sought out to give free legal counsel to those who were wrongfully or excessively convicted, and did not have the means nor help granted from the state because they were poor and trapped in the furthest reaches of our criminal justice system.
This book specifically outlines the case of Walter McMillian, a man wrongfully condemned to death for a murder he didn't commit. Through deeply-seeded racism that has ravaged Alabama for more than a century, he was convicted of the felony and sentenced to death row with no evidence, false testimony from persons he had never met, and erroneous acts of systematic racism and implicit bias by court officials and officers.
To say that Mr. Stevenson is a modern pioneer to those in need is an understatement. I can't tell you how many times I got goosebumps reading about the countless scenarios he and his clients have endured. His work with the Equal Justice Initiative only scratches the surface of what is wrong with the legal system in this country, especially in the most southern of states. He narrates his tireless efforts to overturn 'life without parole' convictions as well as those sentenced to death row, for acts that they were innocent of committing and/or were non-violent crimes as children. Yes children!
'Just Mercy' really shook things up for me in terms of a subject I know little about. I started the book with expectations of reading mostly about the one main case, but was surprised to read about countless other individuals and the details of their cases throughout the book. The statistics of these specific cases as well as the details are so shocking that you can't help but put your entire life into perspective with these people. Most have been so wronged, so pushed aside in a country that is supposed to be welcoming to those of all...well, to ALL.
This book was recommended to me in two scenarios. There has been press of a movie coming out this week outlining the entire story, and if you know me, I literally will race to finish the book before I see it (my husband
hates this trait, ha!). The second was actually my sister-in-law, Theresa. She was reading it over winter break and I noticed immediately because she loves books, but will only read things that she's avidly intrigued by. So I took that as a good sign and ordered it the next day!
If you get a chance to pick it up, you'll be better for it. While I read so many books throughout the year, only a few really stick with me. This, this is one.
What an amazing way to start out 2020; finishing a most humbling and intense account of one man's navigation through the legal proceedings involving some of America's most deeply rooted issues, and his attempts to free those wronged by this system.
Bryan Stevenson is a Harvard Law graduate who started the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama in 1989. He had barely any resources other than his determination and very very small amounts of funding. He sought out to give free legal counsel to those who were wrongfully or excessively convicted, and did not have the means nor help granted from the state because they were poor and trapped in the furthest reaches of our criminal justice system.This book specifically outlines the case of Walter McMillian, a man wrongfully condemned to death for a murder he didn't commit. Through deeply-seeded racism that has ravaged Alabama for more than a century, he was convicted of the felony and sentenced to death row with no evidence, false testimony from persons he had never met, and erroneous acts of systematic racism and implicit bias by court officials and officers.
To say that Mr. Stevenson is a modern pioneer to those in need is an understatement. I can't tell you how many times I got goosebumps reading about the countless scenarios he and his clients have endured. His work with the Equal Justice Initiative only scratches the surface of what is wrong with the legal system in this country, especially in the most southern of states. He narrates his tireless efforts to overturn 'life without parole' convictions as well as those sentenced to death row, for acts that they were innocent of committing and/or were non-violent crimes as children. Yes children!
'Just Mercy' really shook things up for me in terms of a subject I know little about. I started the book with expectations of reading mostly about the one main case, but was surprised to read about countless other individuals and the details of their cases throughout the book. The statistics of these specific cases as well as the details are so shocking that you can't help but put your entire life into perspective with these people. Most have been so wronged, so pushed aside in a country that is supposed to be welcoming to those of all...well, to ALL.
This book was recommended to me in two scenarios. There has been press of a movie coming out this week outlining the entire story, and if you know me, I literally will race to finish the book before I see it (my husband
hates this trait, ha!). The second was actually my sister-in-law, Theresa. She was reading it over winter break and I noticed immediately because she loves books, but will only read things that she's avidly intrigued by. So I took that as a good sign and ordered it the next day!
If you get a chance to pick it up, you'll be better for it. While I read so many books throughout the year, only a few really stick with me. This, this is one.
❤ | C
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