Though the Heavens Fall

by Wade Crumbley

THOUGH THE HEAVENS FALL is the true story of Jerry Banks, an African-American man who was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death for the 1974 murders of Jonesboro, Georgia High School Band Director Marvin King and his former student Melanie Hartsfield. The evidence of Jerry Banks’ guilt was entirely circumstantial, and from the beginning there was an undercurrent of skepticism that Sheriff Jimmy Glass had charged the right man. In 1979, three lawyers – Buddy Welch, Steve Harrison and Wade Crumbley – volunteered to represent Jerry. For two years, they worked to get his convictions and death sentences overturned. Starting with a tip from a local newspaper reporter, the lawyers gathered convincing evidence of Jerry’s innocence that had not been presented at his trial. They asked the Supreme Court of Georgia to order a new trial, and hoped that justice would be done for Jerry Banks by a new jury, based on the newly discovered evidence. Neither Jerry nor his lawyers realized that a favorable ruling by a court might not be enough to make things right. None of them realized that irreparable damage was already done. None of them expected the tragic consequences that would follow. Though The Heavens Fall is the story of the struggle to do justice for Jerry Banks, as told by the last surviving member of his defense team.

288 pages, Paperback

Published February 24, 2026

Reviews

[Grammye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This event happened in my small town. I was too young to be paying attention, but when I read it I was transported back to the 1970's and my teen years. The names of many friends and acquaintances are contained here.
The story is about the horrible fates of many people -- the brutality toward the two who were murdered, the devastating impact on the accused and his family, the guilt of those who hid the truth, the anger in those who knew it, and the cost to those who tried to right the wrongs.