The founder of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama recounts his experiences as a lawyer working to assist those desperately in need, reflecting on his pursuit of the ideal of compassion in American justice.
This book is as beautifully written as it is gutwrenchingly awful to read. The injustices described are horrible, but not surprising - the New Jim Crow at work. The author makes a powerful statement towards the end that we lock up people we can't bear to think about (and especially not to empathize with) because it's a mirror into the brokenness of us all. We think it's an easier solution, and in some ways it probably is easier than mercy. But we need more stonecatchers in this world.
Bryan Stevenson’s memoir about creating the Equal Justice Initiative presents a compelling and heartrending story of injustice in the wrongful conviction and imprisonment of Walter Macmillan in Alabama. However, Stevenson also illustrates how many aspects of the American criminal justice system are flawed and in desperate need of reform. Highly recommended.
Read this on the suggestion of my wonderful partner. This is a gripping, beautiful, and frustrating read, in which I learned a lot more about how our criminal justice system is terrible. It's a tribute to the author's clients and the unknown prisoners who are like them, as well as the communities around them. It lacks a strong call to action - this is how you can help! - but I think that it's not really necessary in this book, and I don't think he has any "innovative solutions" to the problem of our justice system. What he emphasizes, though, is the power of kindness and "just mercy," and he also highlights some "lead bullet" (as opposed to silver bullet) things you can do to help out.
I've written and rewritten this review five times now, and I'm weighed down with all the emotions this book brought to the surface. My reaction to this book is so visceral that it seems to have shut off my ability for speech. "Upsetting" is too weak of a word to describe this book, but I can't think of another one. Is there a word to describe the feeling when someone just tortured you with the truth for weeks and then set you free out into the world carrying all your broken pieces? I don't know. I wish I could say that I was shocked by Walter's tale of spending years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, but I'm not. These systems that are supposed to protect us, to educate us, to heal us - they are failing us. I find some comfort in knowing for all the injustices, …
I've written and rewritten this review five times now, and I'm weighed down with all the emotions this book brought to the surface. My reaction to this book is so visceral that it seems to have shut off my ability for speech. "Upsetting" is too weak of a word to describe this book, but I can't think of another one. Is there a word to describe the feeling when someone just tortured you with the truth for weeks and then set you free out into the world carrying all your broken pieces? I don't know. I wish I could say that I was shocked by Walter's tale of spending years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, but I'm not. These systems that are supposed to protect us, to educate us, to heal us - they are failing us. I find some comfort in knowing for all the injustices, there are people out there to fight them. But I think I'm more angry that this fight has been going on for so long, and there does not appear to be an end in sight.
A powerful memoir by the attorney who founded the Equal Justice Initiative and has spent his life fighting for justice for those wrongly condemned to death, children sentenced to die in prison, and indigent defendants whose only crime is not being able to afford decent legal defense. This quote from Mr. Stevenson sums it all up: “Our shared vulnerability and imperfection nurtures and sustains our capacity for compassion. We have a choice. We can embrace our humanness, which means embracing our broken natures and the compassion that remains our best hope for healing. Or we can deny our brokenness, forswear compassion, and, as a result, deny our own humanity.”
Just Mercy is an autobiography of Bryan Stevenson, a criminal justice lawyer who founded the Equal Justice Initiative. As he explained it to Rosa Parks, the EJI is:
Well, I have a law project called the Equal Justice Initiative, and we’re trying to help people on death row. We’re trying to stop the death penalty, actually. We’re trying to do something about prison conditions and excessive punishment. We want to free people who’ve been wrongly convicted. We want to end unfair sentences in criminal cases and stop racial bias in criminal justice. We’re trying to help the poor and do something about indigent defense and the fact that people don’t get the legal help they need. We’re trying to help people who are mentally ill. We’re trying to stop them from putting children in adult jails and prisons. We’re trying to do something about poverty and the hopelessness that dominates …
Just Mercy is an autobiography of Bryan Stevenson, a criminal justice lawyer who founded the Equal Justice Initiative. As he explained it to Rosa Parks, the EJI is:
Well, I have a law project called the Equal Justice Initiative, and we’re trying to help people on death row. We’re trying to stop the death penalty, actually. We’re trying to do something about prison conditions and excessive punishment. We want to free people who’ve been wrongly convicted. We want to end unfair sentences in criminal cases and stop racial bias in criminal justice. We’re trying to help the poor and do something about indigent defense and the fact that people don’t get the legal help they need. We’re trying to help people who are mentally ill. We’re trying to stop them from putting children in adult jails and prisons. We’re trying to do something about poverty and the hopelessness that dominates poor communities.
In this book, he tells the stories of the people he has helped over the course of his career. Innocent men and men with mental disabilities put on death row. Women wrongfully imprisoned. Children tried and imprisoned as adults. These are just a few.
In their broken state, they were judged and condemned by people whose commitment to fairness had been broken by cynicism, hopelessness, and prejudice.
I will not lie, this book is a very hard read. At times, I found myself crying with a heart full of sadness and anger. I’m talking shoulder shaking sloppy crying. Yet, I also found myself shedding tears of hope, found in a new understanding of the profound connectedness of our humanity. This book left me a mess and I would not have it any other way. Profound joy and hope cannot be experienced without earth shaking sorrow and despair. Bryan gives you many stories that, if left on their own, would lead you to despair. But every one is accompanied by his tireless compassion, unshakable desire for justice and deep well of mercy. It’s in the juxtaposition that the book makes its most memorable and profound statements.
I reflected on how mass imprisonment has littered the national landscape with carceral monuments of reckless and excessive punishment and ravaged communities with our hopeless willingness to condemn and discard the most vulnerable among us. I told the congregation that Walter’s case had taught me that the death penalty is not about whether people deserve to die for the crimes they commit. The real question of capital punishment in this country is, Do we deserve to kill?
Bryan is a tireless force for justice and mercy in our world. He is truly inspirational. This story is often so saddening to hear how people's prejudices and desire for blood/vengeance/closure blinds them to the fact that they are victimizing innocent people. And it's frustrating to see how the justice system is built to maintain status quo and makes it very hard to get review of wrongful convictions. Bryan's Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) organization that he built is doing so much good and has gotten justice for hundreds of wrongfully convicted people. Additionally, he has helped reshape the criminal justice system to be merciful toward young people accused of crimes instead of cruel (sentencing them to die in prison at a young age). Science backs up the notion that youths are not the same as adults in their judgment and deserve different treatment. Fortunately, the system is coming around to …
Bryan is a tireless force for justice and mercy in our world. He is truly inspirational. This story is often so saddening to hear how people's prejudices and desire for blood/vengeance/closure blinds them to the fact that they are victimizing innocent people. And it's frustrating to see how the justice system is built to maintain status quo and makes it very hard to get review of wrongful convictions. Bryan's Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) organization that he built is doing so much good and has gotten justice for hundreds of wrongfully convicted people. Additionally, he has helped reshape the criminal justice system to be merciful toward young people accused of crimes instead of cruel (sentencing them to die in prison at a young age). Science backs up the notion that youths are not the same as adults in their judgment and deserve different treatment. Fortunately, the system is coming around to this way of thinking. This book inspires me to work toward justice and compassion and mercy for those in my own community who have been denied it. It shows that even those jailed are still people and deserve mercy and second chances and don't deserve cruelty.
This is every bit as good as "The New Jim Crow", but quite different. While TNJC focuses on the processes that put so many people in prison, this book focuses on individual people in prison and working to achieve justice for them. Stevenson leads the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama. They started out working for people on death row, but expanded to unjust sentences for children, and treatment of prisoners.
It's beautifully written, and draws you in to the stories of Mr. Stevenson and the people he meets behind bars.
Just Mercy had been on my radar for a while but I didn't decide to pick it up until it was the first pick for the social justice book club hosted by Entomology of a Bookworm. I listened to the audiobook. It was narrated by the author and he did a good job of telling his story.The story begins with the author setting up a branch of the Equal Justice Initiative in Alabama. The goal is to help people on death row have legal representation.The case of Walter McMillan is used to explain to the readers how our justice system can go horribly wrong.Walter McMillan was convicted of a murder even though he was far away from the murder scene with a large group of people, the person who accused him couldn't identify him in a room, and the truck he was supposedly driving had its transmission rebuilt that …
Just Mercy had been on my radar for a while but I didn't decide to pick it up until it was the first pick for the social justice book club hosted by Entomology of a Bookworm. I listened to the audiobook. It was narrated by the author and he did a good job of telling his story.The story begins with the author setting up a branch of the Equal Justice Initiative in Alabama. The goal is to help people on death row have legal representation.The case of Walter McMillan is used to explain to the readers how our justice system can go horribly wrong.Walter McMillan was convicted of a murder even though he was far away from the murder scene with a large group of people, the person who accused him couldn't identify him in a room, and the truck he was supposedly driving had its transmission rebuilt that day at the time of the murder.Other cases are discussed throughout the book. Another focus of the author's is the plight of children who were tried as adults and received life sentences without the possibility of parole. One of the people featured had been kept in solitary confinement for decades. He was caught in a loop of self harming because he was isolated and every time he self harmed he had more time added in solitary.Sometimes helping someone is making sure seemingly logical things are done like housing young children away from the adult prison population so they aren't raped.The author also does a good job of explaining how entire communities are involved in cases of wrongful convictions. He talks a lot with the family and friends of the accused but I would have also been interested to see how finding out that the person in jail for a family member's murder was innocent affected the victim's family. There was just one brief interaction about this.Aside from any discussion of the ethics of capital punishment there is one thing that I just don't understand. How is it possible to mess up lethal injection as horribly as seems to be happening? I guess I have an unusual perspective on this because euthanasia is an important part of my job. It is easy to do without causing pain and suffering. Why can't people figure it out? I guess a large part of the problem is that doctors aren't allowed to be involved. Changing that would probably solve the issue instead of letting untrained personnel do it. But still, books and articles are published in the veterinary literature all the time. Do some study. Get it right if you are going to do it. /rantThis review was originally posted on Based On A True Story
Really a haunting book. I want to believe that we are getting better on bigotry and hatred. But I am reminded again and again by the media and books like this that we still have a very long way to go. This book paints a very sad picture of the state of Alabama criminal justice system.
Everyone should read this incredibly enlightening book. Bryan Stevenson recalls some overwhelmingly moving stories. This book is heart-wrenching but filled with compassion and hope. I highly recommend Bryan Stevenson's own audio book reading.
This book was eye-opening and I'm not sure yet how it's going to change the way I live my life.
