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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
Let me just start by saying that I'm not very familiar with John Grisham's writing. I've read one other book he's written. This book contained a lot of detail, but it seemed like it was written for a power point presentation. More like he was stating facts than writing a true crime novel. Which is fine. I watched the documentary first and read the book later which contains more details than the documentary. His compassion for Ron Williamson is definitely felt in the descriptions of his descent into his mental illness. I had to pause more than once before continuing during some parts of the book. He doesn't always explain the acronyms he uses and it gets a bit confusing at times. He also switches back and forth between using Dennis Fritz's first name and last name so frequently you have to reread to see if he's talking about another Dennis or Dennis Fritz. All in all it was an informative book written with compassion. 3.5/5 ⭐
Not really a fan of John Grishams writing style, even in nonfiction
informative
tense
medium-paced
Meh. I expected a bit more... drama from John Grisham but was disappointed with the overall organization of the book. I was roundly confused when the story line changed from one murder to another midway through without much background.
I already understand and accept that people can and do confess to crimes they didn't commit and that juries and judges get it wrong. I understand that the judicial system has its flaws and doesn't always work the way it should. Perhaps if someone didn't understand or accept these things this would be a more compelling read. But the sad truth is that these stories aren't that rare. There are 2MM people incarcerated in the US. A wrongful conviction rate of 1% would mean that 20k people are actually innocent. On death row, research suggests that 1 out of 25 are likely innocent. Are those huge numbers? Not in the grand scheme of things, I suppose. But considering the impact that being wrongly imprisoned has on someone's life - the loss of liberty, separation from family and friends, the stigma, the lost income, the risk of being wrongly executed - then 20k seems like an awful lot. I'm glad Grisham was likely able to reach some of his readers with this, but I didn't find it particularly earth-shattering.
I already understand and accept that people can and do confess to crimes they didn't commit and that juries and judges get it wrong. I understand that the judicial system has its flaws and doesn't always work the way it should. Perhaps if someone didn't understand or accept these things this would be a more compelling read. But the sad truth is that these stories aren't that rare. There are 2MM people incarcerated in the US. A wrongful conviction rate of 1% would mean that 20k people are actually innocent. On death row, research suggests that 1 out of 25 are likely innocent. Are those huge numbers? Not in the grand scheme of things, I suppose. But considering the impact that being wrongly imprisoned has on someone's life - the loss of liberty, separation from family and friends, the stigma, the lost income, the risk of being wrongly executed - then 20k seems like an awful lot. I'm glad Grisham was likely able to reach some of his readers with this, but I didn't find it particularly earth-shattering.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
dark
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
I will admit, when we were reading his backstory— I forgot what the main idea of what the book was about. Although, I do understand as to why we were given that.
I am still stunned to think that he was on death row for 11 years. I AM ALSO STILL STUNNED ABOUT IT TAKING THREE YEARS FOR THEM TO COLLECT SAMPLES FROM GLEN GORE. Hearing he slipped through the cracks continuously upsets me over and over again.
But wow, Ron passing after only 5 years of freedom.
I also think of Fritz who now is a strong activist and is on the board of the Innocence Project after his wrongful conviction. He’s right, “No amount of money on the face of the Earth could even begin to make an amend for what happened.”
I am still stunned to think that he was on death row for 11 years. I AM ALSO STILL STUNNED ABOUT IT TAKING THREE YEARS FOR THEM TO COLLECT SAMPLES FROM GLEN GORE. Hearing he slipped through the cracks continuously upsets me over and over again.
But wow, Ron passing after only 5 years of freedom.
I also think of Fritz who now is a strong activist and is on the board of the Innocence Project after his wrongful conviction. He’s right, “No amount of money on the face of the Earth could even begin to make an amend for what happened.”
I was intrigued by the topic and excited to dive into this book. Unfortunately, I found Grisham's writing style choppy and bland. I felt like I was reading a high school report. This didn't hold my interest and the best I could do was skim through the end to learn what happened to the Innocent Man.
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
It is horrifying to think about an innocent person convicted of a crime. It happens in this true story told by John Grisham. Ron Williamson spent twelve years on death row and Dennis Fritz was sentenced to life in prison for a murder they had nothing to do with. Sadly, the police and prosecuting attorney wholeheartedly believed in their guilt and did whatever it took to put them away. This included intense police interrogations, which led to what the police considered confessions. Witnesses who thought they were being helpful or had ulterior motives gave false testimonies. The small Oklahoma town of Ada wanted revenge for this awful crime. The defendants knew truth was on their side, but were ultimately found guilty by juries. Thankfully, DNA analysis was eventually used to free the two men. Even then, many people still considered them guilty. This is a fascinating story. One thing I noticed is that Grisham vilified the attorney who prosecuted Ron and Dennis, but I know there are always two sides to the story. No one is 100% bad nor 100% good. I would have liked a more fair view of that attorney who I’m sure thought he was doing the right thing. It is reminder of why people should be “innocent until proven guilty” and not the other way around. Well done.
This was the last book I read as part of my 2015 book challenge. It was recommended to me by a friend a few months ago.
This was the last book I read as part of my 2015 book challenge. It was recommended to me by a friend a few months ago.