Good story Non fiction book about Ron Williamson, who was wrongly convicted of murdering a young woman in the 80s. The book also includes the stories of Dennis Fritz, implicated in the same murder, and a couple other people who faced similar charges while being innocent. Ron narrowly escaped the death penalty. This is a gripping story for anyone interested in the death penalty etc. Ron is an unlikely hero with severe psychological, drinking and drug issues. However his story and what happened to him is so unbelievable that you have to read it to believe it. This book really makes you think about the justice system and how people with a certain degree of authority and a personal agenda can destroy the lives of so many for no valid reason.
Appalling "story" This is a true but horrific story that unfolds in Oklahoma. The book mainly depicts five wrongful convictions for murder. Of those five cases, there is one in particular that gets highlighted: Ron K. Williamson's. Ron is a former athlete bedeviled by mental illness that gets railroaded in a murder case in a small town courtroom in rural Oklahoma.
There were irregularities all the way from the police investigation to the prosecution and, even later, during the incarceration period. Ron Williamson's ordeal as a Death Row inmate elicits the sympathy and compassion of the readers towards him. John Grisham, the author, is an accomplished writer that keeps the reader spellbound throughout the book.
A Startling Book This was an excellently crafted book especially for non-fiction. The most important aspect, overall about the book is that the book didn't distort the real character of Ron Williamson. Grisham's descriptions about him Ron have been excessive but it did hammer home the point this was not a good person. At times, I tried to rationalize and blame the Ada authorities incompetence because of Ron's poor character. To be honest, at times I didn'r really feel that sorry for him.
It is amazing to see how someone can be wrongfully prosecuted. After reading the book, I did some other research and found a website of the district attorney who prosecuted the case. The website does show evidence that the DA is virtually clueless. There is tons of rambling text but none of it seems to address the lack of evidence and why he prosecuted with such little evidence. The book doesn't appear to be exaggerate the facts to sell.
The scapegoats It's becoming a well known fact in the US - there are two different justice systems, one for those who can afford the best defense, the other for those who cannot. The indigent can be, and often are, treated to a paltry parody of trial and sentencing. Nowhere have I encountered a better example of this than in John Grisham's account of the railroading of Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz in the Oklahoma murder case of Debra Carter. Grisham recounts the outrageous details of the case, in which every standard of evidence, from the sloppy work of the local police to the misconduct of attorneys and judges, was blatantly mocked. The trials were both travesties of perjury and corruption, based upon the testimony of snitches and legal system cronies.
Whether or not Ron Williamson was a nice person or a sane one, whether or not he had the potential for violence, he and Dennis Fritz did not commit this murder. The authorities destroyed the lives of two men and their families, while failing to prosecute the true culprit, who was always prominent in the picture, and indeed provided false testimony. Readers can usually ignore "must read" recommendations, but with respect to The Innocent Man, it is "a book that no American can afford to miss." The system of justice upon which our country is based is in danger.
Stick to Fiction After the number of novels Grisham has written, many people (like me) will buy this book based purely on the author. Grisham has traded on his name to promote a non-fiction long drawn out encyclopedia type series of facts about a truly sorry tale.
If you are buying this based on Grisham's past work expecting a fast paced intriguing story...DONT...it's not even close.
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