The main character in
this non-fiction book is a complex man named Ronald Williamson, who
is from a small town called Ada,Oklahoma.He is falsely accused of
murdering a young cocktail waitress named Debbie Carter.
The book takes us from his humble
beginnings as the son of a door to door salesman, to a career as a
professional baseball player and then to the terror of being arrested
and convicted of a crime he did not commit. The contributing factors
to his wrongful conviction were unreliable evidence,false confessions
and bogus informants.
He is eventually sentenced to Death
by Lethal Injection and spends a lengthy time in prison, enduring all
sorts of harrowing experiences along the way. The author gives us a
startling,very real glimpse into life on Death Row. We are also
transported into the mind of an innocent man who has to live through
this ordeal.The author is very effective in his endeavor to
capture the mood of the times and the many complex characteristics of
Ron Williamson.He delivers this true, but frightening story in a
warm, compassionate manner that draws the reader in and makes you
feel personally involved in the story. At times,I found myself
feeling frustrated at the ignorance of some of the legal team and the
flaws in the US justice system, which has in the past killed a number
of innocent men in its death chambers.What I enjoyed most
about the book,was the in depth look at the characters,what made them
tick and how they survived through ordeals most of us would only
endure in our very worst nightmares.John Grisham is an excellent
writer, delivering a fast paced but sensitive work that shows his
concern and love for his fellow man.
For more information on other cases
where innocent people have been wrongfully convicted under the U.S Justice System, visit
www.innocenceproject.org.
Here you will meet some fascinating characters and read some
intriuging stories.