‘ Just Mercy’: A Story of justice and redemption is a memoir authored by Bryan Stevenson and published in 2014. The author grew up in a working-class African American family in Delaware. His great grandparents lived through the slave trade period in Virginia where they worked for a white family.His grandfather was stabbed to death in a Philadelphia housing project during a robbery when Stevenson was 16 years old. The author schooled at the Eastern College, now known as the Eastern University in Philadelphia. He later proceeded to Harvard Law School, where he began representing the minorities in Georgia and Alabama. He is currently the executive director and co-founder of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama and a law professor at the New York University Law School. His organization represents men and women of colour, mentally disabled people and the poor.
What Is the Book Generally About?
Just Mercy is about Bryan Stevenson’s work in criminal justice policy and challenging the bias against the poor, the mentally disabled and people of colour. In his over 30 years long career, Stevenson has won relief for many condemned prisoners, exonerated innocent ones and pursued the end of death penalties and life sentences for juveniles. The book spotlights the inefficient, racist, criminal justice system that wrongfully condemns and convicts the wholly innocent. It describes Bryan Stevenson’s activism journey against systemic bias in jails and prisons against racial minorities. He narrates the cases that he has taken on and the people he has represented.
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The Main Characters
The book focuses on Bryan Stevenson’s most celebrated Walter McMillian case, who he represented in the late 1980s shortly after graduating from law school. McMillian was on death row for the murder of a white woman in Monroeville. Monroeville was the home to Harper Lee, the author of To kill a mockingbird , which describes the experience of a black man who was falsely accused of defiling a white woman. According to the book, the black man was fiercely represented by a white lawyer, Atticus Finch, in the 1930s. The story was read by millions of people while confronting them with the realities of race and justice in the South. Despite growing up in Monroe, McMillian had never heard of Harper Lee and stayed out of trouble with the law till his prosecution. McMillian had a successful timber business that gave him privileges that many African Americans did not enjoy. He got involved with a white woman while still married to his wife, Minnie. The extramarital affair with a white woman built up a lot of racial prejudice against him, which led to his arrest and conviction for a murder he had not committed. The prosecution sponsored two key witnesses to lie to ensure that Walter was convicted. The testimonies were so preposterous for anyone to have believed them. Walter McMillian's prosecution was not ordinary as he was housed in a correctional facility even before trial. The jury had systemically excluded African Americans to ensure that McMillian was found guilty. They recommended a life sentence as opposed to a death sentence. However, Alabama is one of the states where the judges are empowered to override jury recommendations. Judge Robert E. Lee Key Jr overruled the jury to hand Walter a death sentence. Stevenson turned to “60 minutes”, which aired in 1992 to prevent the execution of McMillian. It worked as McMillian was granted a new trial which prompted the prosecution to drop the charges a few days later. Stevenson also sought to understand the reasons teenagers commit violent criminal acts. He took on cases of prisoners who had been sentenced to life without parole for crimes committed when they were juveniles. He took on Evan Miller's case, who was sentenced to life when he was fourteen years old for beating a middle-aged man to death together with his friends. The case was argued at the Supreme Court, which held that compulsory life sentences without parole for juveniles violated the English amendment. Stevenson also writes about his defeats, such as Michael Lindsey, who was sent to death row even after the jury recommended him for life imprisonment.
The Author's Thesis
He brings to the spotlight the rot in the American criminal justice system. The book emphasizes the importance of advocacy and resistance to systemic injustices. He uses McMillian's case to illustrate his commitment to hopeless cases, especially for racial minorities. He describes the racism, corruption and cruelty that has led to the systematic abuse of marginalized groups such as African Americans, women and the disabled. Stevenson has managed against many obstacles to free people from wrongful conviction and calls to action the work that needs to be done in the jurisprudence system. The author also advocates for empathy and mercy for convicted criminals. It is the only way to break the cycles of violence, hatred and punishment that mar the criminal justice system. He writes the stories of inmates so that the reader can see through their experiences and humanize them instead of condemning them.
The Author’s Presentation of the Thesis
Stevenson gives a concise description of his path to finding purpose in fighting for marginalised groups' rights in the justice system. He paints the criminal justice system as an institution that aggravates some underlying social problems by creating a vicious cycle of poverty, violence and incarceration. The author focuses on Walter McMillian's experience with the Alabama justice system to illustrate the justice system’s unfairness and victimization of the condemned. He also highlights the relationship between the racial hierarchy and the events surrounding several trials in Alabama by giving a historical context surrounding racism. The author also presents his own moral and philosophical reflections on the justice and prison systems such that the reader understands the points he wants to put across.
Author’s Support of Thesis
The Walter McMillan story, which is the backbone of the book, gives clarity on the racial injustice in America. The extents to which the prosecution goes to ensure that McMillian, a black man, is convicted reveal deep-rooted systemic bias which punishes the poor and minorities. McMillian is also treated differently from Karen Kelly, the white woman with whom he had an affair because of his race. Stevenson also uses the example of Ian Manuel, who was convicted to an adult prison while still a juvenile. This thirteen-year-old shot a lady to depict how child poverty and homelessness are associated with the risks of juvenile crimes. He uses examples to show how children are tried and convicted as adults, how the children in adult prisons end up being sexually and physically abused and young people spending years of their lives in solitary confinement.
Author’s Assumptions
The author avoids making any assumptions as he gives historical and present evidence in his narration.
Author’s Biases
He has the defence lawyer’s reflex as he does not acknowledge some of his clients dark and criminal motives. An example is that of the fourteen-year-old teenager who convicted of double murder by arson the relieved of the agency. Trina Garnett set fire to her friend’s house and was charged in adult court. He also fails to acknowledge that Herbert Richardson had ill intentions when he left a bomb on his estranged girlfriend’s porch that left her niece dead. He focuses on proving that there was a racial injustice as opposed to the fact that Richardson had indeed committed a crime.
Overall Opinion of the Book
It accurately captures the injustices that happen to the poor and the minorities because they are defenceless. Bryan Stevenson blends the anecdotes with fact, knowledge and reason that convinces the reader that racism and prejudice exists. The author's commentary and transitions are seamless, making it easy for the reader to comprehend the concept of mercy compatible with justice. Through the vivid and descriptive stories, Stevenson manages to bring out a completely new perspective on the unfair justice system for people trying to understand the justice system. The book's non-fictional element makes it easy for the author to convince the reader that those who are accused of crime deserve a level of dignity and humanity. Throughout the book, Stevenson brings out his message of mercy and empathy to people who have been condemned and dehumanized by the system and pushes for reforms to help justice institutions achieve more reasonable, accurate and positive criminal justice outcomes for society. He remains positive and with a strong faith in each case, revealing his passion for reforming the justice system.
Did You Enjoy Reading the Book?
Yes. I enjoyed reading the book due to its engaging nature and its compelling narration that allows you to resonate with the author’s passion for social justice. I have learned how African Americans, the mentally ill, the youth, and poor people are disproportionately susceptible to mass incarceration. Reading the book makes one upset that some of the injustices still happen while creating hope that there are people who are determined to seek justice for the marginalized groups. The stories are masterfully told, and Stevenson’s core values are well articulated. All the themes covered are brought out in the narratives weaved together but uncover all the details.
References
Stevenson, B. (2014). Just mercy: A story of justice and redemption . One World/Ballantine.
