[(The Innocent Man )] [Author: John Grisham] [Jul-2008]

by John Grisham

John Grisham's first work of non-fiction, an exploration of small town justice gone terribly awry, in his most extraordinary legal thriller yet.In the major league draft of 1971, the first player chosen from the State of Oklahoma was Ron Williamson. When he signed with the Oakland A's, he said goodbye to his hometown of Ada and left to pursue his dreams of big league glory.Six years later he was back, his dreams broken by a bad arm and bad habits - drinking, drugs and women. He began to show signs of mental illness. Unable to keep a job, he moved in with his mother and slept 20 hours a day on her sofa.In 1982, a 21-year=old cocktail waitress in Ada named Debra Sue Carter was raped and murdered, and for five years the police could not solve the crime. For reasons that were never clear, they suspected Ron Williamson and his friend Dennis Fritz. The two were finally arrested in 1987 and charged with capital murder.With no physical evidence, the prosecution's case was built on junk science and the testimony of jailhouse snitches and convicts. Dennis Fritz was found guilty and given a life sentence. Ron Williamson was sent to Death Row.If you believe that in America you are innocent until proven guilty, this book will shock you. If you believe in the death penalty this book will disturb you. I you believe the criminal justice system is fair, this book will infuriate you.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Crime, Mystery, Thriller, History, Audiobook

Paperback

First published October 10, 2006

About the author

John Grisham is the author of more than fifty consecutive #1 bestsellers, which have been translated into nearly fifty languages. His recent books include Framed, Camino Ghosts and The Exchange: After the Firm.

Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction.

When he's not writing, Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and of Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system.

John lives on a farm in central Virginia.

Reviews

[John Grisham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nonfiction is hard to write because you have to strive to stick to the facts, and facts have a way of changing shape as each new perspective is brought into play.

[Daniel Perlman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've enjoyed a few Grisham's in my day, and of course seen a few of the films... But this book is stunning, and it's his first non-fiction.

I myself practice criminal law, and of course if you asked me, I'd say there are bad cops out there, and bad prosecutors, and bad defense attorneys and bad judges, but I would not have imagined the devastating travesty that unfolds on these pages.

This is a story of small town justice going way south. It wasn't vigilante but it wasn't far off. They used the "system" over two decades to accomplish what a mob and noose once accomplished overnight.

The evil that even prosperous, educated people can do to one another is astonishing in this detailed, chilling account of a man who's constitutional rights are run roughshod over en route to a death penalty conviction for a murder he did not commit and for which no real evidence existed.

This is an informative, exciting, fast paced, real life chiller that everyone should read to understand how something unbelievable can and apparently does happen to "anyone."

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

In this non-fiction book John Grisham tells the shocking and disheartening story of two men who were wrongfully convicted of rape and murder in Oklahoma.


Author John Grisham

*****

Ron Williamson, born in 1953, grew up in a loving Christian family in Ada, Oklahoma. He was a star on his high school baseball team and played for several professional minor league teams, hoping to make it to the majors.


Ron Williamson on his high school baseball team


Ron Williamson played minor league baseball

Injuries and health problems shattered these dreams however, and a short unsuccessful marriage added to Ron's woes. By his mid-20s Ron was back in Ada, carousing, drinking heavily, philandering, and starting to show signs of mental illness. At about this time he became friends with Dennis Fritz, who became his partying buddy.


Ron Williamson


Dennis Fritz

Then in 1982 a young woman named Debbie Carter was brutally raped and murdered in her apartment in Ada.


Debbie Carter

The police did a less than thorough investigation and - in a major instance of bungling - gave a pass to Glen Gore, who had been harassing Debbie and was known to be violent toward women. It turns out the police (more or less) ignored Glen as a suspect because a few cops were doing drug deals with Glen at the time.


Glen Gore

In any case the investigation dragged on and finally, in 1988, Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz were arrested and charged with the rape and murder of Debbie Carter. There was no credible physical evidence against the men but prosecutor Bill Peterson lined up (and coached) a series of mendacious jailhouse snitches - which resulted in convictions.


Mug shot of Ron Williamson


Prosecutor Bill Peterson


Law enforcement individuals manipulated evidence and witnesses to get convictions

Dennis was sentenced to life in prison and Ron was given the death penalty. Grisham gives a detailed account of the 'investigation' and a play by play description of the trials, and it's frightening to see the lengths Peterson and the police would go to to secure 'confessions' and convictions.

Grisham then details Ron's years on death row as his lawyers file appeal after appeal. By this time Ron was severely mentally ill as well as prison facility that was boiling in summer and freezing in winter, with nasty guards who delighted in tormenting disturbed Ron.


Oklahoma State Penitentiary


Death Row


Ron Williamson's mental health deteriorated in prison


Ron Williamson aged prematurely in prison

To cut to the chase: twelve years after Ron and Dennis's convictions DNA evidence showed that the imprisoned men were innocent and that Glen Gore was guilty. Ron and Dennis were released from prison but DA Peterson - in a major demonstration of stubborn hubris - refused to apologize. In fact, he indicated that he still thought of the two men as suspects and might even retry them if he found more evidence. Of course this preyed on Ron's already troubled mind. Nevertheless, six years later Gore was finally convicted of Pamela's murder.


Dennis Fritz was exonerated


Ron Williamson was freed


Glen Gore was convicted

The book is interesting and informative...but also sad and disheartening. I felt angry that the Ada police and DA Peterson were not held to account for their outrageous behavior. In fact a google search revealed that Peterson tried to sue Grisham and other people who wrote books about the case, claiming they libelled him (as if!) However, Peterson was routinely unsuccessful with these lawsuits.



On the negative side the book is overly long and goes into too much detail about every aspect of Ron's life. Grisham details all of Ron's childhood/teen sports (he played baseball and basketball); his antics to get his parents and sister to pay for nice clothes, a car, and expensive sports camps; Ron's many unsuccessful experiences with minor league baseball teams; his injuries and rehabilitations; Ron's bar-hopping and picking up women; his horrible years on death row; the round of talk shows and celebrations when Ron and Dennis are released from prison; and finally Ron's ongoing physical decline and eventual death in a nursing home. It's just a little too much.

Still, this cautionary tale about justice gone wrong is worth reading and instructive.

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This True Crime story reads like a straight forward Master's thesis on the injustice some accused but innocent Death Row inmates have gone through. No embellishments or random filler, just the facts (Ma'am). While this could prove daunting if you look for a little extra color and storytelling in your True Crime, it is still a very good and enthralling book that will no doubt get your anger juices flowing.

As someone who gets very frustrated by stories of false accusations (I still yell at the TV every time I watch The Fugitive), this was a very hair-pulling experience. But, that is not necessarily a good or bad thing, it just means I was very engaged and invested in the story. Sometimes the best and most interesting stories have a lot of pain along the way. This is definitely one of those.

What makes this story particularly heartbreaking is all the waste of money/time/resources, all the ignored evidence, all the time behind bars for no reason, and, worst of all, complete apathy towards mental illness. There was a convenient "answer", so they went with it. It is scary to think that some day any of us could be in the wrong place at the wrong time and be the convenient "answer". I stress . . . SCARY!

There have been throughout history many stories of legal injustice. Some of these stories are worse than others. 2020 has been a particularly bad year for that, so you may feel like avoiding this one until later if you have had too much of it. But, this is a true story worth checking out if the subject of what the wrongly accused go through interests you.

[Rebecca · Rating 1 out of 5]

I preface this review by saying that John Grisham is one of my favorite authors of all time. Despite that, this was possible the worst book I have ever forced myself to finish. I finished it only because it was a Grisham novel, but it was downright awful. It is my understanding that this was Grisham’s first non-fiction book. It is his research and retelling of a man who is wrongly convicted of murder and put on death row. The book reads like a poorly written legal memo with insane amounts of unnecessary detail. I was utterly disappointed and would warn anyone who loves Grisham not to read this book because it may ruin your opinion of a great author.

[W · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is John Grisham's first work of non-fiction. It is the story of Ron Williamson,a minor league baseball player who had dreams of playing in the major league.

His life didn't go according to plan. Leaving his baseball career,he came back home to a life of drink,drugs and womanizing.

When a waitress was murdered,he alongwith another man was arrested. He would go on to spend eleven years on death row,before being reprieved.

It is the story of one man but is also a reminder of how many innocent people pay the penalty for crimes they did not commit.

Grisham tells the story with empathy and compassion. However,there is way too much detail about Williamson's life. At times it gets boring.

As it is a work of non-fiction,it also made me wonder if Grisham's research is entirely accurate.

[Karen J · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG…I had no idea how corrupt the justice system is!!!
An incredible read and a huge eye opener.

[Karl Jorgenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grisham's first true-crime book is better, in many ways, than his fiction. And the characters, all real, are more unbelievable. The cops, the prosecutors, the judges, the jailers, the doctors, the scientists, and everybody else shirked their duty, bent the rules, and generally framed five innocent men for three murders. A grisly, depressing tale.
To be fair, it begins with a police-created confession, editing the dream of a mentally disturbed man to fit the desired facts. Once the confession was in the record, everybody else gives themselves license to fix the results--'oh, he confessed, so this fingerprint must be his.' All the manufactured evidence springs from this first abuse of the cops.
This story is so much more disturbing than fiction: these murders are real, and the destruction of five innocent lives is just as real. Grisham mostly keeps an even, neutral tone, but he can't resist a few pokes at these lazy charlatans who pretend to work for justice in Oklahoma.

[Bren fall in love with the sea. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is John Grisham's first Non Ficiion. It focuses on a young athlete wrongly convicted of a crime he did not commit.

It is a scathing look at our criminal justice system and a story of sadness, tragedy and gross incompetence.

It is also quite long and took me a great deal of time to finish but is very well written. I always love Grisham's work and this book, although tough to follow at times and very tragic, is poignant because of its reality. Unlike the characters in Grisam's fiction novels, of which there are many, this actually happened.

A searing and disturbing read.

[Paul Weiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a true story you need to know about!

There are many, many arguments on both sides of the capital punishment issue. But perhaps one of the most powerful arguments against the use of capital punishment is that, every once in a while, the justice system goes seriously off the rails and makes a tragic mistake.

As a young man, Robert Williamson was an exceptionally skilled baseball player. Thinking himself destined for the major leagues, he began to lead a self-indulgent debauched life style that ultimately would lead to nowhere but trouble, self-destruction and severe mental illness. Robert Williamson and his alleged co-conspirator were definitely not nice people. But neither were they rapists.

THE INNOCENT MAN is the story of the blind, single-minded quest of the Oklahoma judicial system to arrest, imprison and execute a man for the 1982 rape and murder of a cocktail waitress. It was a very near call but, ultimately, Robert Williamson was proven to be innocent and released before his rapidly nearing date with the executioner.

Even those who believe in either the deterrent or the punishment argument on the pro-side of the capital punishment debate will be un-nerved by this near miss of a system gone so badly wrong.

Unfortunately, the writing in THE INNOCENT MAN is not as compelling as it might have been give the nature of the subject matter. But it is still quite gripping and certainly important enough that every thinking citizen should read it and make themselves aware that this kind of miscarriage of justice can and does happen.

Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

[Taury · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Innocent Man by John Grisham. Such a well written NF story. Very well researched. So sad. Makes me very angry. Thank God for DNA. Shame on corruption.

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very moving account of the real life murder of a young woman in Ada, Oklahoma in 1982 and the subsequent wrongful conviction of two men who weren't exonerated with DNA evidence until 1999.

[S.P. Aruna · Rating 5 out of 5]

It should be noted that this book should be titled "The Innocent MEN," since it describes 2 cases, each involving 2 men, 4 men altogether. We have the all too common and dastardly scenario of the DA's office and local police conspiring to win the case at all costs, fudging, manipulating, cheating, and tampering state's evidence, regardless of truth and justice.

But for me, such behavior on the part of law enforcement authorities is not the shocking aspect of these tragic chronicles, but the decisions made by the juries which led to the convictions. The jury of your peers is supposed to be the strength of the US justice system, and here we see the horrible consequences when it fails to do its job. Unfortunately, this element was not stressed enough in the book. It is apparent that the residents of this locale, in this case the rural town of Ada in the conservative state of Oklahoma, were unduly influenced by biblical notions of vengeful justice, preventing them from conducting a more impartial consideration of the reasonable doubt that was present in all of these cases.

Of course, the significance of these trials is bolstered by the fact that they were capital murder cases, with the death penalty looming in the background, and as any true Grisham fan knows, capital punishment is one of the issues that disturbs Mr. Grisham (see The Chamber), and which no doubt served as the main inspiration for him to get these stories out there.

I also learned of the heroic attempts of defense lawyer Barry Scheck, founder and chief advocate of the "Innocence Project," dedicated to the utilization of DNA evidence as a means to exculpate individuals of crimes for which they were wrongfully convicted (362 wrongful convictions overturned as of 2019). Apparently Mr. Scheck was not just a showboating attorney in the O.J. Simpson trial.

This book should be required reading for all secondary schools, students that someday will form the crop of potential future jurors.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

So. I finished this book late last night, and since then, I've been pondering what I was going to write in this review. How did I feel about this book? I still don't know.

On the one hand, I feel like it should get a high rating from me for telling the story of how fucked up Oklahoma's justice system was, and how unrepentantly it stole years, and lives, from innocent men. For seemingly no reason. I feel like it should get all the stars for bestselling author John Grisham to have gotten that story the kind of attention it deserves, and all the light shined on it that can be.

But at the same time, I have read many other bestselling author John Grisham books, and this was arguably not one of his best written. I have read quite a few other true crime books, and this was not one of the best written of those either. It jumped around between timelines and people, could have used a bit more structure as far as the chapters and sections went, probably could have used a timeline and a "character list" to help track the plethora of lawyers, inmates, police, etc all traipsing around the story. But my main issue with this is that it read like a highschool report, with all of the immature snark one would expect when the irritated teenager didn't really care for the subject they were assigned.

And, granted, derision was warranted when it came to the "investigation" and the prosecutor, and the judge who let this travesty of a trial proceed, and the judges who upheld it on appeal, and all the other people and systems that failed or were trampled on along the way to get a conviction, with no evidence at all. But, the issue that I take with it is that it no longer feels like reporting and journalism, it feels like propaganda.

"Look how evil cruel the prosecution was" vs "this is what happened and this is why that SHOULDN'T have happened and this was how it was wrong."

I expected better from Grisham. He used to be a lawyer, and he still IS a writer, so he should be an expert at objectively explaining the facts of the case, the law and why it matters and, in this case, how the system failed these men, and do so with skill. Let the reader handle the anger and derision on behalf of these guys - you just present the facts for them. Or if you MUST include it, put it in your intro or author notes or something.

Also, it annoyed me that this was called "The Innocent Man" as though only one person had their life ruined. There were two innocent men convicted of this murder. In addition to that, two OTHER presumably innocent men were convicted in Ada, on no evidence, without even a body, of abduction and murder of another woman. And several other men were mentioned with similar stories of wrongful conviction - but Grisham decided to title this in the singular, as though the other men weren't innocent victims of injustice as well.

All that being said, it wasn't a bad book. I read it pretty quickly, though that was likely more because I wanted to know if they were going to be freed and get justice... I needed to know what would happen.

All in all, I think this book had serious flaws, but it was a story that needed telling, and so I'm not sorry it was written. This kind of thing happens all the time, still, though hopefully not QUITE so blatantly. Prosecutors are supposed to work for the people, let's not forget. If they are more concerned with their conviction rate than their accuracy, that's a problem we should all be concerned about. Not just because it could happen to anyone to be wrongfully accused and convicted - but also because that leaves real perpetrator(s) free. Free to rape, or murder, or assault or whatever, again. We should all be concerned with making sure that convictions are based on solid evidence and truth, not a desire for a quick conviction statistic.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A tragic life was over, and the one who’d lived it had now gone on to better things. …He was finally free.”

I am a fan of Grisham. I will just say that off the top. I think there is only one book of his I gave a poor rating too, and that was “The Exchange,” the story that followed “The Firm” years later. I have even enjoyed his non-courtroom books, like “Sooley” and “Calico Joe.”

I read this one years ago, (it was published in 2006), and thought I had already provided a review, but apparently, I did not. So, it almost seems fitting to provide a review now, since his latest non-fiction book, “Framed” had just been released. Which I am also currently reading.

This book is his first non-fiction book. The story follows the wrongful conviction of Ronald Keith Williamson, who was tried for murder and then exonerated. Dennis Fritz, a friend of Williamson was also tried, convicted and exonerated of the same crime.

Grisham shares in his 2024 novel, “Framed” the following…

“I had never considered nonfiction – I was having too much fun with the novels – but Ron’s story captivated me. From a pure storytelling point of view, it was irresistible. Filled with tragedy, suffering, corruption, loss, near death, a measure of redemption, and an ending that could not be considered happy but could have been much worse, the story was just waiting for an author.”

Grisham’s telling of the story starts with the disappearance of their supposed victim, Debbie Carter who was later found dead at her home. Within a very short time, readers will be introduced to witnesses, relatives, law personnel and forensic experts.

Grisham’s introduction of Williamson comes by showcasing his habits that would come to the interest of the police. He does a relatively good job of allowing readers to see him as a victim of his own life and mental deterioration. Which allowed the prosecution to prey on him even more.

The story is grim with lots of narrative focused on an abusive system of “justice” and how it locked away its supposed “killers.” The descriptions of prison life were vivid and disturbing. Even if vindication is provided, would it bring peace to those who were locked away as innocent men?

This is a gripping, riveting, and compelling story with a strong focus on attention to detail. Which may or may not muddy the reading experience. Still, the story is obviously well-researched. For some readers, this story may even spark outrage for a system of justice that was clearly blind and unscrupulous.

The Author’s Note will give excellent background on Grisham’s motivation for writing this story and the people he encountered through his research.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

A non fiction book from John Grisham published 2006

This is such an unbelievable story it’s hard comprehend that it’s NOT a work of fiction.
The expression ‘fact is stranger than fiction’ has never rung truer than what lies between these pages.

The title is a bit of a misnomer because it’s the story of not one but four young men. Three get sent to prison for life whilst the fourth gets sentenced to death by lethal injection.

In the small town of Ada Oklahoma in 1982 a cocktail waitress by the name Debra Sue Carter was raped and murdered.
Two young men both with a reputation for carousing were brought to the police station for questioning. Going on nothing but gut instinct the police constructed a case against both men.
No one in law enforcement from the police to the prosecuting attorney were in the least bit interested in guilt or innocence all they wanted was for the case to be closed.

Ron Williamson, the young man who was given the death penalty, spent 11 years on death row where his health both physical and mental deteriorated dramatically. At one point he was only five days away from being executed when a last minute stay of execution was grated.

What happened to these young men is beyond belief and makes you question the infallibility of the justice system.

Interesting to note that not long after the publication of this book a defamation case was brought against John Grisham and his publishers by none other than Ada police and the prosecuting attorney. The case was thrown out of court by the presiding judge.

An enthralling 4 star read.

[babyhippoface · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you're going to read this, don't stop there. Go online and read Bill Petersen's account as well. It's only fair. And after all, "fair" is what this book is all about, right?http://www.billpetersondistrictattorn...

The Innocent Man alternates between a compelling account of a murder investigation and a tedious account of a man's stupidity/petty criminal activity/insanity.

I had great respect for John Grisham until I read both this book and responses to the book by Ada prosecutor Bill Petersen, who has legal documents to back up his claims that Grisham ignored key facts in the case. I assume he did this to make his book more compelling, but I felt he was dishonest in his portrayal of the "facts", and because of that this book isn't entirely "non-fiction".

I still respect Grisham's writing ability, and will continue to enjoy his crime/law novels, but I honestly feel he unjustifiably did a great disservice to Petersen and the other investigators on the case in order to strengthen his argument that Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz were railroaded by corrupt officials. Despite Grisham's claims in the novel, and while there was indeed an injustice done to Williamson and Fritz, the facts in the case show that they were not viciously prosecuted by officials who refused to see the truth. It's just not true.

[Nenette · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pull of this story is the fact that it is not fiction. The book was tagged as something every American should read…..but this is not happening only across the USA. It is a very sad fact that applies globally. After I’ve read this, I am left with a couple of thoughts about law enforcement personnel who would go to extreme measures to solve a case even at the expense of prosecuting the non-guilty – can they really be that bad to the core, or are they just so much in a hurry to resolve a case, that even a half-baked investigation will do? These questions I ask are not only for the ones doing the investigation; it transcends to the prosecution, to the highest court, and even to the defense lawyers as well – it’s the whole system. In the end, Ron got to really rest, and I pray that he was really able to do just that...For Dennis Fritz, I am glad that he was able to bounce back.

[Page Grey (Editor) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is Non-fiction. A story of two men who were wrongfully convicted of murder and rape in Oklahoma. Though a big part of the story was focused on Ron Williamson, once a dreamer of becoming a Baseball star but due to several reasons, his dream became impossible. He then became friends with Dennis Fritz and the two of them became drinking/partying buddies. And later they both became convicted for the murder and rape of a young woman named, Debbie Carter. Ron was even given the death Penalty and Dennis a life sentence. Years later, they were finally cleared, and proven innocent.

Aside from Grisham's latest two books, this is the only book of his that I haven't read before now for the sole reason that it's a Non-fiction. I used to not read Non-fiction. I must admit, I was kind of put off because of the writing. It isn't the usual Grisham's style that I've grown to love but I can't deny the fact that he really did a good job narrating every stages of Ron's life making the reader more connected to Ron. And care for him. I think that's one of the top reasons why Grisham wrote this book, for us to care about Ron. Still it took me a month to finish this book. Why? Because  Ron has many mental issues and so it was hard for me to keep going. I hated the fact that Ron, instead of being treated was forced to go to prison making his conditions worse. He was too depressed, for God's sake. Anyway, though very informative, I found this story very sad and heartbreaking. And maybe I was mad few times while reading and not becaus eof the writer, Grisham merely told us the story, but because of what's happening to Ron. I really, truly cared for him.

[Henry Ozogula · Rating 5 out of 5]

This type of work is necessary so that the world at large can learn how sick the legal system can be! (specifically America in this work; how much more elsewhere). I am reminded of an acquaintance of mine here in west Africa who spent over half a year in jail just because he was ‘suspected’ of stealing something he knew nothing about! Reading this book, the mind boggles!! How can kids eg have their whole lives ruined – spent in jail/death row after being forced and coerced to confess to crimes they know nothing about? How many countless ‘criminals’ have been killed or sentenced to life imprisonment before DNA evidence unequivocally exonorated them later on? What price the life of hapless denizens when law enforcement agents are bent on convicting them at all costs? Such is the case here with the spotlight brilliantly beamed on the life – the vicissitudes - of an Innocent Man who nevertheless suffered horribly, accused of a heinous crime that he did not commit. And what about his long-suffering (pious) Mother, and Sisters? What about their vicarious and direct suffering? And yet through it all, the stigma of being accused and CONVICTED of (a) crime would always be there with members of the community, even relatives, shunning and snubbing such people even long after they have been exonerated. It is so sad. Why is the world often so unfair?

[Karen & Gerard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very disturbing nonfiction book about our judicial system, a heinous crime and a wasted life. It showed how several innocent men were convicted of murder and that in reality, one is really guilty until proven innocent rather than the other way around. It is a very sad documentary about a talented high school athlete who really ruined his life with drinking, drugs and got framed for murder, and developed mental and physical illness. It's unbelievable how these innocent men spent 12 years in prison while the appeals courts kept upholding the verdict in spite of all the bungling and lack of evidence in the first trial. The main thing I learned from it is if you ever get brought in for questioning by the police, don't answer any questions without an attorney present, even if you are innocent and have nothing to hide! The fact that this really happened makes horrific. I recommend this to anyone interested in legal thrillers, the justice system, or prison life.

[Razvan Banciu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes reality is far more cruel than any fiction. Ron Williamson was an unpleasant fellow and an egocentric lazy drunkard, but even such poor creatures don't deserve such treatments.

The saddest part of the story is that a purulent garbage like peterson, (after destroying innocents lives for ever) was keeping his odious job as a prosecutor for almost a decade...

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town was the first nonfiction book written by John Grisham after being the master of fictional legal dramas but this true account was even more riveting. I was captivated and intrigued but also horrified with the story of what happened in a small town in Oklahoma when a flawed criminal justice system went awry resulting in the wrongful conviction and near execution of Ron Williamson. In the words of U.S. District Court Judge Frank H. Seay as an epilogue to his decision granting a new trial, he said, “God help us, if ever in this great country we turn our heads while those who have not had fair trials are executed. That almost happened in this case.”

The Innocent Man tells the story of Ron Williamson a young boy from Ada, Oklahoma with great promise as a professional baseball player often compared to another young boy from Oklahoma, Mickey Mantle. However, the book chronicles how Ron Williamson, a former baseball prodigy drafted by the Oakland Athletics in 1971, fell into mental illness and substance abuse after a career-ending arm injury. After leaving his hometown to pursue his dream of glory in the major leagues playing baseball. But alas, six years later Williamson returned with a crashing end to his dreams and now compounded with drinking and drugs and his inability to keep a job. It was at this point he moved in with his mother sleeping twenty hours a day on her sofa. And then in 1982 a 21-year old, Debra Carter, a cocktail waitress was raped and murdered in her small apartment. It was thought that the brutal crime scene had to have been committed by two people. It was never clear how the district attorney’s office came to suspect Ron Williamson and his friend Dennis Fritz, finally arresting them for capital murder in 1987. Fritz was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison where Williamson was sentenced to death. John Grisham does a terrific job in unraveling what happened leading to the eventual exoneration of Dennis Fritz and Ron Williamson. Long being a supporter of Barry Scheck and his Innocence Project, this book is a testimonial as to why there should not be a death penalty.

[Traumleser · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ein unfassbar deprimierendes Buch was die Dummheit und Ignoranz vom amerikanischen "Rechtsstaat" aufgezeigt. Es wirkt fast schlimmer als das mancher diktatorisch geführter Länder. Man könnte meinen, es gibt nur eine Handvoll Amerikaner die eigenständig denken können.

Vor allem Kleinstadtmenschen kommen dabei so schlecht weg, noch schlimmer als in manchen Klischees in Filmen und Serien.

Auch das gesamte verkorkste Leben der Hauptperson ist so deprimierend, sowohl vor als auch nach der unfassbaren Ungerechtigkeit. Mitleid hat man am Ende nur mit den Schwestern von Ron Williamson, die all das Leid ertragen mussten und die trotz allem sich immer um ihren Bruder gekümmert haben. Sie sind für mich die einzigen bemitleidenswerten Personen in diesem Buch.

Ich wünschte, ich hätte dieses deprimierende Buch nicht gelesen.

[Apoorva Ranade · Rating 4 out of 5]

A chilling tale of injustice and the troubles faced by a wrongfully accused man. It also highlights the problems faced by a mentally ill man who society is unable to deal with or help.

[Anto M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

I legal-thriller di Grisham sono sempre affascinanti, ma il libro in questione, non è un romanzo perché l'autore abbandona la fiction e narra una storia vera, quella di Ron Williamson, intrecciandola ad altri casi di "malagiustizia" americana, se così possiamo definirla.
Sicuramente lascerà perplessi gli estimatori dell'autore perché, in questo caso, è come se mettesse su carta una sorta di cronaca, un documentario, molto interessante per carità, ma che proprio per questo aspetto, in alcuni passaggi, risulta molto lento.
Io l'ho vissuto come "libro-denuncia" sulle lacune del sistema giudiziario americano, sullo strapotere delle forze dell'ordine, sul peso che possono avere testimonianze sommarie e in alcuni casi false, sulle conseguenze che tanti avvocati poco motivati possono arrecare alla vita delle persone...anche tenere in carcere un innocente e lasciare a piede libero un mostro.
Una lettura istruttiva più che di piacere.

[ALLEN · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Grisham set aside his usual fiction and wrote this nonfiction novel (2006) about Ron Williamson, a former baseball player who returned to his home town of Ada, Oklahoma. Already stigmatized as the town "burnout," once Williamson was accused of murder there seemed to be no getting out of it, though the evidence for the crime was sketchy at best. While this book lacks the homeric intensity of Grisham's best novels, it has a lot to say about how law enforcement can be used -- and misused -- to indict and persecute those whose chief sin seems to have been an ability to serve as a convenient scapegoat. Those of us who have seen documentaries and news reports about Steven Avery and his nephew, Brendan Dassey, in central Wisconsin will see the same sorry process at work in small-town Oklahoma. What, if anything, can be done about it?

This isn't the first time little Ada, Oklahoma has attracted notoriety. If this topic and locale interest you, consider The Dreams of Ada by Robert Mayer (1987), which tells very much the same story.

[Fred · Rating 3 out of 5]

This not what I expected? The NETFLIX “documentary” seemed slow, it is a “documentary” but I expected more “drama” like a typical Grisham movie....?

IMDb - The Innocent Man review
Netflix - The Innocent Man Trailer



The True Story Behind The Innocent Man's Most Gruesome Murder - website link - 12/14/2018

[Vicki Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man, was this a disturbing true story.
It was so depressing. I felt so bad for all the people involved in this. I was constantly thinking to myself that this could not possibly happen, but it did!
It is very hard to believe that there were no checks and balances in the system and that the people involved in this are (or were at the time it was published) still working in the system.
I know hindsight is 20/20, but even in the end, the people who caused this to happen never took responsibility or even apologized. The arrogance and egos in this small town are disgusting.
This book ended with me feeling sickened. Nothing redeeming happened here.

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A true story by John Grisham.
Although I did enjoy this book I felt it required editing by approximately 100 pages to avoid the tedious parts.
A very disturbing true story that is written well by John Grisham in the main but rambles on too much at times with unnecessary details and sub plots. I feel pretty sure that given a good edit I would have enjoyed this far more and awarded a higher rating.