The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town

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It's a hit!

WOW - If this were a John Grisham "novel" I would have said "ok ok ok ... enough already. How much do you think you can have us believe about the ... (show more)

WOW - If this were a John Grisham "novel" I would have said "ok ok ok ... enough already. How much do you think you can have us believe about the travesty done in our legal system". But ... since it was all based on facts AND Grisham says he COULD have written 5,000 pages ... it is very sad to believe that our legal system can be so corrupt. I found it truly amazing at the end in the Author's Notes to learn that the prosecutor, detectives, judges and those all involved were still in office (except those that died or wound up in jail due to their own misdeeds) and that the people of the town of Ada, OK had their taxes levied to pay for their legal systems wrong doings. My heart goes out to all the victims (families of the murdered woman, those wrongfully convicted and their families). Grisham does what he does best. (show less)

 

 

by Judi Wenrich Courter

No, it's a flop!

This was the first Grisham novel that I have ever read, and I must say that I enjoyed it very much. I am not a great lover of fictional legal thri... (show more)

This was the first Grisham novel that I have ever read, and I must say that I enjoyed it very much. I am not a great lover of fictional legal thrillers, and the fact that this is a nonfiction work got my attention. The material, for me, was never dry nor boring, and the author did a fine job of keeping the characters interesting. He told their story without being over the top and saccharine.
If the intention was to change views on capital punishment; my views were not changed. I think the cases that go before the courts asking for the death penalty should have much more solid evidence than eyewitness from a distance on a dark night, or jailhouse snitch testimony. This novel does a wonderful job of explaining how wrong the system can go when there is a lack of good evidence. A very sad end to a very sad life. (show less)

 

 

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  I do not really understand why out of all the true stories in the world, why John Grisham would pick this one? The story is interesting enough but it did not strike me as something Grisham would normally write. Yes, it's terrifying what happened to the focus of the novel, Ron Williamson. But in the end, I really did not like the him. I thought he was a bit of an jerk to begin with, then his life spun out of control due to mental illness. As Grisham clearly points out, over and over again, tha... (show more)

  I do not really understand why out of all the true stories in the world, why John Grisham would pick this one? The story is interesting enough but it did not strike me as something Grisham would normally write. Yes, it's terrifying what happened to the focus of the novel, Ron Williamson. But in the end, I really did not like the him. I thought he was a bit of an jerk to begin with, then his life spun out of control due to mental illness. As Grisham clearly points out, over and over again, that someone should have stepped in during his trial to say “this man is very sick and needs help.” But even when Williamson was given help earlier he did not accept it or if he was given medication he did not stay on it. Nor did he ever try to help himself when he was sane.
  However, besides that, Grisham does write with his normal flair even if the book is written more like an essay than a novel. It was obvious that this was Grisham's first non-fiction novel. He can be quite repetitive but it makes sense because it clearly points out the crimes committed against Williamson. At times I did get goosebumps and it certainly shows a clear villain in the novel.
  A solid read but nothing groundbreaking. (show less)

   

   

  by Robert P Grimminck on Nov 21, 2009 at 04:58PM

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  In a very different twist for John Grisham, The Innocent Man is a non-fiction account of criminal law. But more than just being the story of a man wrongfully accused and facing execution, Grisham blasts light on the abhorrent injustice that can be done to more than one man...in the name of protecting society. I can say that, before reading this book, I was not necessarily anti-death penalty, but Grisham will make you rethink your stance and make you really examine what you think is right an... (show more)

  In a very different twist for John Grisham, The Innocent Man is a non-fiction account of criminal law. But more than just being the story of a man wrongfully accused and facing execution, Grisham blasts light on the abhorrent injustice that can be done to more than one man...in the name of protecting society. I can say that, before reading this book, I was not necessarily anti-death penalty, but Grisham will make you rethink your stance and make you really examine what you think is right and wrong with capital punishment.

  Grisham tells the story of an small-town athlete hero, Ron, who falls on hard times. While he definitely makes bad decisions (for which he should suffer consequences), he is marginalized and victimized when a rape/murder is committed in his town. The actions of law enforcement, state prosecutors, public defenders, and the criminal court system itself will stupefy you as Grisham unfold's Ron's terrible story. As a person who has believed that in America, we are innocent until proven guilty, Ron's story is very frightening.

  I listened to the audio version of this book, which was read by Craig Wasson, who does an excellent job. For those who care, this book is rated 'R' for graphic violence, language, and sexuality. (show less)

   

   

  by Scott McGilberry on Oct 28, 2009 at 03:08AM

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