Sunday, July 4, 2010
The Innocent Man Right now
I read this book while awaiting action on my own son's claim of innocence before the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission. The circumstances of Williamson's arrest and conviction are hauntingly similiar to my son's case... Police target a suspect without any probably cause, and then seek to build a case against him. Overly zealous District Attorneys and incompetent defense attorneys are a virtual "death sentence" for anyone accused of murder. The system is not really seeking justice, but merely to convict someone and close an open case. We - the public - sit ignorantly and idly by and applaud our officials for being "tough on crime" without regard to what is really going on. Watching those crime shows on TV just adds to our complacency.
Grisham has eloquently focused on the terrible faults within our criminal justice system. The actions by the DA in Ada Oklahoma border on criminal, yet he escapes with his job intact. (As of the writing of the book, the DA was still in office - obviously returned in election by his voters who are satisfied that lies and injustice trump the truth.)
This is a must read for anyone who cares about truth and justice. Non-fiction is a departure for loyal Grisham fans, and the pacing and narrative are different and take some getting used to, but we should all know this story well, and remember it if we EVER sit on a jury.
As a side note: My son's case was heard by a 3-judge panel in NC, and on February 17th he was declared innocent of the murder he was accused of having committed in 1991 and for which he served 17 years in prison. Other states are considering forming similar Innocence Commssions, and I encourage your support.Get more detail about The Innocent Man.
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