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Manifesting Justice: Wrongly Convicted Women Reclaim Their Rights
Through the lens of her work with the Innocence Movement and her client Leigh Stubbs—a woman denied a fair trial in 2000 largely due to her sexual orientation - innocence litigator, activist, and founder of the West Virginia Innocence Project Valena Beety examines the failures in America’s criminal legal system and the reforms necessary to eliminate wrongful convictions—particularly with regards to women, the queer community, and people of color…
When Valena Beety first became a federal prosecutor, her goal was to protect victims, especially women, from cycles of violence. What she discovered was that not only did prosecutions often fail to help victims, they frequently relied on false information, forensic fraud, and police and prosecutor misconduct.
Seeking change, Beety began working in the Innocence Movement, helping to free factually innocent people through DNA testing and criminal justice reform. Manifesting Justice focuses on the shocking story of Beety’s client Leigh Stubbs—a young, queer woman in Mississippi, convicted of a horrific crime she did not commit because of her sexual orientation. Beety weaves Stubbs’s harrowing narrative through the broader story of a broken criminal justice system where defendants—including disproportionate numbers of women of color and queer individuals—are convicted due to racism, prejudice, coerced confessions, and false identifications.
Drawing on interviews with both innocence advocates and wrongfully convicted women, along with Beety’s own experiences as an expert litigator and a queer woman, Manifesting Justice provides a unique outsider/insider perspective. Beety expands our notion of justice to include not just people who are factually innocent, but those who are over-charged, pressured into bad plea deals, and over-sentenced. The result is a riveting and timely book that not only advocates for reforming the conviction process—it will transform our very ideas of crime and punishment, what innocence is, and who should be free.
When Valena Beety first became a federal prosecutor, her goal was to protect victims, especially women, from cycles of violence. What she discovered was that not only did prosecutions often fail to help victims, they frequently relied on false information, forensic fraud, and police and prosecutor misconduct.
Seeking change, Beety began working in the Innocence Movement, helping to free factually innocent people through DNA testing and criminal justice reform. Manifesting Justice focuses on the shocking story of Beety’s client Leigh Stubbs—a young, queer woman in Mississippi, convicted of a horrific crime she did not commit because of her sexual orientation. Beety weaves Stubbs’s harrowing narrative through the broader story of a broken criminal justice system where defendants—including disproportionate numbers of women of color and queer individuals—are convicted due to racism, prejudice, coerced confessions, and false identifications.
Drawing on interviews with both innocence advocates and wrongfully convicted women, along with Beety’s own experiences as an expert litigator and a queer woman, Manifesting Justice provides a unique outsider/insider perspective. Beety expands our notion of justice to include not just people who are factually innocent, but those who are over-charged, pressured into bad plea deals, and over-sentenced. The result is a riveting and timely book that not only advocates for reforming the conviction process—it will transform our very ideas of crime and punishment, what innocence is, and who should be free.
402 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 31, 2022
About the author
Valena E. Beety
3 books27 followersValena Elizabeth Beety is an innocence litigator, a law professor, and a former federal prosecutor. She is currently Robert H. McKinney Professor of Law at Indiana University Maurer School of Law, in Bloomington, Indiana.
Previously, Beety served as the Founding Director of the West Virginia Innocence Project. Her experiences as a federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., and as an innocence litigator in Mississippi and West Virginia, shape her research and writing on wrongful convictions, forensic evidence, prosecution, and incarceration.
She is the co-editor of the Wrongful Convictions Reader, and author of Manifesting Justice: Wrongly Convicted Women Reclaim Their Rights.
She lives in Bloomington with her wife Jennifer Oliva, their dog Eva, and their cat Moonshine.
Previously, Beety served as the Founding Director of the West Virginia Innocence Project. Her experiences as a federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., and as an innocence litigator in Mississippi and West Virginia, shape her research and writing on wrongful convictions, forensic evidence, prosecution, and incarceration.
She is the co-editor of the Wrongful Convictions Reader, and author of Manifesting Justice: Wrongly Convicted Women Reclaim Their Rights.
She lives in Bloomington with her wife Jennifer Oliva, their dog Eva, and their cat Moonshine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 14, 2022
Manifesting Justice follows the story of two women's innocence and horrifying wrongful conviction. Along the way, Beety addresses similar cases and laws that used junk science, racial bias, gender bias, class bias, and more to wrongly convict innocent individuals.
I did not realize how little I understood about the legal system until I read this book. What I learned was terrifying and infuriating. Beety skillfully lays out the stockpile of ethical issues with the current state of "justice". I was in a constant state of shock through most of this book; it shone a bright light on privilege and the continued oppression of marginalized individuals, whether queer or differently abled or bipoc.
Sometimes it was difficult to get through sections due to the copious legal jargon, but don't let this deter you from picking up this book!
Read this book if you are interested in learning more about:
• bias in the U.S. legal system
• Innocence Projects and how to reverse wrongful convictions
• restorative justice and other alternatives to incarceration
I did not realize how little I understood about the legal system until I read this book. What I learned was terrifying and infuriating. Beety skillfully lays out the stockpile of ethical issues with the current state of "justice". I was in a constant state of shock through most of this book; it shone a bright light on privilege and the continued oppression of marginalized individuals, whether queer or differently abled or bipoc.
Sometimes it was difficult to get through sections due to the copious legal jargon, but don't let this deter you from picking up this book!
Read this book if you are interested in learning more about:
• bias in the U.S. legal system
• Innocence Projects and how to reverse wrongful convictions
• restorative justice and other alternatives to incarceration
May 16, 2022
You all know how much I love books about the criminal justice system, so when I saw Manifesting Justice was written by Valena Beety, the founder and former Director of the West Virginia Innocence Project, I knew it was a “must read”.
I have so many thoughts that I’m not sure where to begin, but above all else: READ THIS BOOK!
If you want to understand why and how the criminal “justice” system is not fair and just, especially to women and BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities: read this book. If you want to know more about wrongful conviction: read this book. If you want to see proposed solutions on how we can start to overhaul our criminal justice system: read this book.
I’ve read a lot of books about the criminal justice system that covered similar topics. BUT, this is the first book I’ve read that is focused on women.
Manifesting Justice is such an important book, and I can’t stress enough how much everyone should read it. I’ll never stop taking about the phenomenal work of organizations like The Innocence Project and The Equal Justice Initiative.
Side note: I also recommend watching The Innocence Files on Netflix, especially if you want to learn more about Dr. West.
Huge thanks to @netgalley and @kensingtonbooks for the #gifted copy! This one comes out on 5/31!
I have so many thoughts that I’m not sure where to begin, but above all else: READ THIS BOOK!
If you want to understand why and how the criminal “justice” system is not fair and just, especially to women and BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities: read this book. If you want to know more about wrongful conviction: read this book. If you want to see proposed solutions on how we can start to overhaul our criminal justice system: read this book.
I’ve read a lot of books about the criminal justice system that covered similar topics. BUT, this is the first book I’ve read that is focused on women.
Manifesting Justice is such an important book, and I can’t stress enough how much everyone should read it. I’ll never stop taking about the phenomenal work of organizations like The Innocence Project and The Equal Justice Initiative.
Side note: I also recommend watching The Innocence Files on Netflix, especially if you want to learn more about Dr. West.
Huge thanks to @netgalley and @kensingtonbooks for the #gifted copy! This one comes out on 5/31!
July 12, 2023
Such an informative and enlightening read! The author is honest, forthcoming, and provides concrete steps to prevent and rectify wrongful convictions, all interwoven with her personal experiences as an innocence litigator and the heart-wrenching stories of her clients.
July 15, 2022
This was a very difficult book to read and yet should be read. I was simultaneously horrified, appalled, infuriated and saddened by our not so great criminal justice (or lack thereof) system.
July 28, 2022
There are many books that tackle wrongful convictions, the biases and injustices rampant in the criminal legal system, junk science, prosecutorial tunnel vision and misconduct, the limitations of post-conviction procedures, and ideas for change. Valena Beety's Manifesting Justice takes on all these topics (and others I am sure I left out) and does so with insight, perspective, and honesty I have not come across in too many other books. And she does so with a writing style that is easy to follow and understand for anyone. It is, cliche aside, a book one can pick up and not want to put down until finished.
Beety weaves together her own transformation from a prosecutor who viewed herself and her colleagues as the heroes in the system into a defense attorney and professor fighting to free those unjustly convicted. With honesty, she admits how allowing herself as a prosecutor to think she was one of the heroes led to decisions that exasperated the biases, unfairness, and racism already inherent in the system.
Beety tackles all the topics involved while telling the story of two women wrongfully convicted due to a combination of bad science, arrogance, misconduct, and anti-lesbian bias. And she addresses how even all the years later when the so-called expert took back his testimony and a mountain of undisclosed evidence was uncovered, the prosecution still would not just let these two women walk free without forcing them to plead guilty. Beety focused on the story of these two women but her writing makes it apparent to the reader that the forces that led to this one injustice are happening all the time. One of the most interesting aspects of her book was that she writes about a wrongful conviction that isn't a capital case and did not have DNA available to exonerate the women. Those cases obviously need attention, but as she reminds the readers, people are convicted of all types of crimes, and too often there are injustices in the cases that might not otherwise get our attention or the headlines. And those cases need to be addressed too. And lastly, Beety ends her book with practical ideas that might not in themselves solve every issue, but can at least help us move in the right direction. Most notably, she writes about concepts of restorative justice and how the labels we use "criminal" and "victim" are often far less clear than those running the system want us to think.
For those who care about righting injustices in the criminal legal system, I would include this book on any must-read list.
Beety weaves together her own transformation from a prosecutor who viewed herself and her colleagues as the heroes in the system into a defense attorney and professor fighting to free those unjustly convicted. With honesty, she admits how allowing herself as a prosecutor to think she was one of the heroes led to decisions that exasperated the biases, unfairness, and racism already inherent in the system.
Beety tackles all the topics involved while telling the story of two women wrongfully convicted due to a combination of bad science, arrogance, misconduct, and anti-lesbian bias. And she addresses how even all the years later when the so-called expert took back his testimony and a mountain of undisclosed evidence was uncovered, the prosecution still would not just let these two women walk free without forcing them to plead guilty. Beety focused on the story of these two women but her writing makes it apparent to the reader that the forces that led to this one injustice are happening all the time. One of the most interesting aspects of her book was that she writes about a wrongful conviction that isn't a capital case and did not have DNA available to exonerate the women. Those cases obviously need attention, but as she reminds the readers, people are convicted of all types of crimes, and too often there are injustices in the cases that might not otherwise get our attention or the headlines. And those cases need to be addressed too. And lastly, Beety ends her book with practical ideas that might not in themselves solve every issue, but can at least help us move in the right direction. Most notably, she writes about concepts of restorative justice and how the labels we use "criminal" and "victim" are often far less clear than those running the system want us to think.
For those who care about righting injustices in the criminal legal system, I would include this book on any must-read list.
July 14, 2022
Powerful and Important Read.
Using the power of individual story, Ms. Beety highlights the tragic ways that the Americans have narrowed our justice system to the point that few wrongful accused and convicted Americans have the right, let alone the means, to prove their innocence. This is a must read for any person who wants to understand the criminal justice system in the America.
Skillfully crafting legal analysis with the stories of women affected by a justice system that far too often chooses efficiently putting the accused in prison instead of affectively determining the guilt or innocence of them, Ms. Beety illustrates an important problem. However, for all the heartbreak and anger that the reader feels devouring this read, there is also hope.
This book paints a poignant view of what our court system is, but also offers a solution for readers who are willing to demand more of the system they live in. While many authors may have contently set forth an expository legal review of the criminal justice system, Ms. Beety has chosen to make her book is a powerful call to action. Empowering her readers with the knowledge that a system that has failed so many is not without redemption, if they are willing to demand it. I cannot recommend this book enough.
Using the power of individual story, Ms. Beety highlights the tragic ways that the Americans have narrowed our justice system to the point that few wrongful accused and convicted Americans have the right, let alone the means, to prove their innocence. This is a must read for any person who wants to understand the criminal justice system in the America.
Skillfully crafting legal analysis with the stories of women affected by a justice system that far too often chooses efficiently putting the accused in prison instead of affectively determining the guilt or innocence of them, Ms. Beety illustrates an important problem. However, for all the heartbreak and anger that the reader feels devouring this read, there is also hope.
This book paints a poignant view of what our court system is, but also offers a solution for readers who are willing to demand more of the system they live in. While many authors may have contently set forth an expository legal review of the criminal justice system, Ms. Beety has chosen to make her book is a powerful call to action. Empowering her readers with the knowledge that a system that has failed so many is not without redemption, if they are willing to demand it. I cannot recommend this book enough.
September 26, 2022
This is a must read for everyone! Valena narrates a compelling case of manifest injustice – and the path to actual justice – for two incarcerated women convicted of a crime based on bias, discrimination, and false testimony. This narration is told between socially conscious chapters that edify the reader on the historical origin of injustice within the legal system, and a call to action for a renewed commitment to the innocence movement. Along the way, Valena shares her personal experiences with the reader, while illustrating how her viewpoint transformed with time. This for me truly frames the entire book – she never shames the reader (prosecutor, forensic scientist, police officer, etc.) into change, but instead, encourages each of us to see the system from a different perspective, all the while demonstrating how this occurred for her. It is truly an eye-opening read, and a call to action. Valena – thank you for sharing this work, and your endless commitment to fight for change in the face of what otherwise might seem like insurmountable obstacles.
June 9, 2022
Mrs. Beety has produced a masterful work. The prejudices and disregard for fairness she describes have tilted the scales of justice against people because of sexuality and or race. This book describes the biased and illegal treatment by law enforcement, a shameful prosecutor, and a judge who was determined to punish these girls because of their sexuality, instead of their guilt. The post-conviction challenges faced by not just these young ladies, but all of those wrongly convicted are so set-in-stone that innocence CAN NOT BE CONSIDERED! The changes Mrs. Beety offers here are common sense measures that should be adopted on the federal level to insure justice is served.
I can see Law Schools adopting "Manifesting Justice" to teach perspective attorneys how to recognize and prevent biased-based prosecutions. Officers of the Court everywhere should embrace Mrs. Beety's cures for our broken post-conviction system!
I can see Law Schools adopting "Manifesting Justice" to teach perspective attorneys how to recognize and prevent biased-based prosecutions. Officers of the Court everywhere should embrace Mrs. Beety's cures for our broken post-conviction system!
July 13, 2023
Manifesting Justice provides a clear and candid look into the different ways that the justice system fails those who participate. Combining the history of different social issues, intimate stories of people who have suffered from these miscarriages of justice, and targeted strategies for addressing the problems that surround us, this book provides the perfect example of why everyone should care about wrongful conviction.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and getting to hear Leigh, Tami, and Kim's stories from a passionate activist and expert in the field. This book is perfect for anyone who wants to learn more AND do more. Manifesting Justice reminds us not to be discouraged by injustice in society, but instead to stand up against it, and give us the tools to start now.
Check it out!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and getting to hear Leigh, Tami, and Kim's stories from a passionate activist and expert in the field. This book is perfect for anyone who wants to learn more AND do more. Manifesting Justice reminds us not to be discouraged by injustice in society, but instead to stand up against it, and give us the tools to start now.
Check it out!
Read
July 9, 2022This book is a real eye-opener, not just about a specific case, but the unfortunate reality that the justice system in the United States is not all peaches and cream. It virtually screams out to the reader that given the right set of circumstances, bad things can happen to most anyone. I would recommend it highly to anyone who wants to believe they are well informed about justice (or the lack of it) in America today. Do we truly live in greatest country ever? Maybe, but this book lets us know there is a lot of room for improvement.
December 12, 2022
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and am VERY grateful that I did. The central case and much of the supplemental history and context that Beety writes about are harrowing (at times sickening) but worth reading about for anyone interested in restorative justice, innocence work, and/or homophobic prejudice in the legal system. The writing is compelling, informative, well-structured, and remarkably measured in tone. Beety largely lets the horrifying facts and stats speak for themselves. A strong and necessary work.
July 4, 2022
Manifesting Justice was a difficult read because the subject was so upsetting. The case centers around three women—Leigh, Kim, and Tami—who all underwent treatment at the Pines & Cady Hill Recovery Center for alcoholism and drug abuse in Columbus, Mississippi.
The author Valena Beety is an “innocence” litigator and activist and this book is an in-depth look at the legal system and it’s flaws in this particular case of wrongful conviction.
The author Valena Beety is an “innocence” litigator and activist and this book is an in-depth look at the legal system and it’s flaws in this particular case of wrongful conviction.
September 23, 2022
Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary copy (through Goodreads giveaways). Interesting exploration (expose) of the ways our justice systems goes wrong. The author identifies a myriad of ways that true guilt and innocence plays a backseat to the way the system works. She walks through on specific case and intersperses that story with connected explanations about the legal and criminal justice systems. Well written and researched.
December 11, 2022
I enjoyed some parts of this book, while other parts felt unnecessarily dragged out. It might not help that I was teaching a unit on mass incarceration to my students, reading Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy with them, while I was reading this on my own, because ultimately it felt sort of like a not-as-good Just Mercy. The book is important, the work is important, but the way it was written could have been more compelling, I think.
August 10, 2023
Manifesting Justice is a must-read for anyone interested in criminal/legal issues and dismantling barriers to gender equality. I learned so much about systemic issues impacting women in the justice system, and I loved that it was framed through the compelling stories of Leigh and Tami. It was definitely a heavy and emotional read, but I would argue that it needs to be to call for reform on the issues discussed in the book.
July 27, 2022
This book was eye opening. As a lawyer, albeit a civil litigator, I was vaguely aware of the broken nature of the criminal justice system, but this book shines such a bright light on it that it almost seems impossible to not have seen before! All is not lost, it covers ways to manifest justice all throughout the book. Artfully written and engaging!
June 16, 2022
Please read this book. Finally, someone who has walked the walk and who offers constructive proposals. The issues of justice equality she raises are timely and more urgent than ever. Manifesting Justice opened my eyes to so much, and I will do my best to spread the word.
January 31, 2023
Powerful book weaving facts and storytelling to shed light on how the current justice system does gross injustices, and the brave warriors who fight back to prove their own innocence via their champions and defenders at the Innocence Network. Thank you Valena!
February 11, 2023
Another look at Justice
The author brings to light another way for the wrongfully convicted to secure Justice. She also puts a spotlight on the deleterious effects of ADEPA languishing behind bars.
The author brings to light another way for the wrongfully convicted to secure Justice. She also puts a spotlight on the deleterious effects of ADEPA languishing behind bars.
June 8, 2022
This book re-enforced my feelings about our so called justice system.
July 1, 2022
She got all her points across. Throughout the book I was in awe of her conclusions. But...the tiny font was a major headache.
July 5, 2022
This book opens your eyes to how the justice system is and women's rights. How much do you really know about the justice system, just wow
February 3, 2023
A passionate and powerful book from one of the nation’s leaders in the movement to free the innocent
February 13, 2023
An amazing eye opening book about the faults in our criminal legal system, let’s fight to reform and free the innocent.
March 20, 2023
You will get mad
And frustrated but then a
sliver of hope shows.
And frustrated but then a
sliver of hope shows.
July 16, 2023
Beety does an excellent job weaving narrative, first-hand experience and legal history to expose injustices and biases of the US court system. Manifesting Justice is eye-opening, heart-wrenching, and a necessary read for this moment. It makes a case for what we need to do better, and concludes with tangible steps about how.
March 7, 2025
Such a powerful book telling stories that need to be told. Really inspiring for anyone who has a passion for justice work.
July 23, 2022
I’ve just finished Manifesting Justice! Leigh Stubbs' story is gripping, and really helps a non-attorney person like me understand many of the nuances of our justice system. Even more importantly, this book helps us understand systemic injustices people face every day in the US- without being overly academic or too buried by legal-ese. Recommended!
July 26, 2022
FIVE STARS! I hardly ever give it out this many stars-so this for sure is a recommended read! I'm currently in my final year at law school and I have never been lectured on how to prevent wrongful convictions. After reading this book, it made it clear how important it is to be educated on how corrupt and ineffective the Criminal Justice System is.
I learned more from this book than I have in 2 years at law school. Valena discussed topics that have never approached my mind as a privileged white cis-gender person. One of those topics was the over-policing of trans people.
This book opened my eyes to many issues in the US criminal justice system but also the need to change social attitudes about those vulnerable in society.
Not only that- this book got me out of my reading slump.
I learned more from this book than I have in 2 years at law school. Valena discussed topics that have never approached my mind as a privileged white cis-gender person. One of those topics was the over-policing of trans people.
This book opened my eyes to many issues in the US criminal justice system but also the need to change social attitudes about those vulnerable in society.
Not only that- this book got me out of my reading slump.
July 11, 2023
This was a fabulously important book. The author tells a poignant story with compassion, fervor, and comprehensive knowledge on the subject. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to learn about the topic or just looking for a well written and human story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews