Just Mercy, Bryan Stevenson (4.5)
This is a very moving and very sad retelling of Mr. Stevenson’s experiences as a lawyer helping death row prisoners and children held for life without parole. Many of us realize that whether you agree with the death penalty as an effective punishment/deterrent, there is plenty of evidence that it has not been administered fairly. It’s still shocking to hear how bad the ‘justice’ was for Walter, the man on death row who dominates the book. The casual way the judge and prosecutors ignore the hundreds of people who were with Walter at a party when the alleged murder takes place; the fact that the only eye witness can’t identify Walter and is completely unreliable; the lack of evidence and motive; all these and more leave the reader astonished and incredulous. As much as I felt for the innocence of Walter, the imprisoning children who have done the crime for their life without parole was even more disturbing. While it certainly was not pleasant to read, it is important for us all to recognize that these are not issues limited to ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, but still happen and Mr. Stevenson continues to fight for these injustices. This book is very thoughtful and thought provoking.
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