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Chicago Lives
Long Way Home: A Young Man Lost in the System and the Two Women Who Found Him
Nineteen-year-old Jovan Mosley, a good kid from one of Chicago’s very bad neighborhoods, was coerced into confessing to a crime he didn’t commit. Charged with murder, he spent five years and eight months in a prison for violent criminals. Without a trial.
Jovan grew up on the rough streets of Chicago’s Southeast Side. With one brother dead of HIV complications, another in jail for arson and murder, and most kids his age in gangs, Jovan struggled to be different. Until his arrest, he was. He excelled in school, dreamed of being a lawyer, and had been accepted to Ohio State.
Then on August 6, 1999, Jovan witnessed a fight that would result in a man’s death. Six months later, he was arrested, cruelly questioned, and forced into a confession. Sent to a holding jail for violent criminals, he tried ceaselessly to get a trial so he could argue his case. He studied what casework he could, rigorously questioning his public defenders. But time after time his case was shoved aside. Amiable, bright, and peaceable, he struggled to stay alive in prison. As the years ground on, he’d begun to lose hope when, by chance, he met Catharine O’Daniel, a successful criminal defense lawyer. Although nearly all cases with a signed confession result in a conviction, she was so moved by him, and so convinced of his innocence, that Cathy accepted Jovan as her first pro bono client. Cathy asked Laura Caldwell to join her and together they battled for Jovan’s exoneration. Here is Laura’s firsthand account of their remarkable journey.
This is a harrowing true story about justice, friendship, failure, and success. A breakdown of the justice system sent a nice kid to one of the nation’s nastiest jails for nearly six years without a trial. It would take a triumph of human kindness, ingenuity, and legal jousting to give Jovan even a fighting chance.
Deeply affecting, Long Way Home is a remarkable story of how change can happen even in a flawed system and of how friendship can emanate from the most unexpected places.
Jovan grew up on the rough streets of Chicago’s Southeast Side. With one brother dead of HIV complications, another in jail for arson and murder, and most kids his age in gangs, Jovan struggled to be different. Until his arrest, he was. He excelled in school, dreamed of being a lawyer, and had been accepted to Ohio State.
Then on August 6, 1999, Jovan witnessed a fight that would result in a man’s death. Six months later, he was arrested, cruelly questioned, and forced into a confession. Sent to a holding jail for violent criminals, he tried ceaselessly to get a trial so he could argue his case. He studied what casework he could, rigorously questioning his public defenders. But time after time his case was shoved aside. Amiable, bright, and peaceable, he struggled to stay alive in prison. As the years ground on, he’d begun to lose hope when, by chance, he met Catharine O’Daniel, a successful criminal defense lawyer. Although nearly all cases with a signed confession result in a conviction, she was so moved by him, and so convinced of his innocence, that Cathy accepted Jovan as her first pro bono client. Cathy asked Laura Caldwell to join her and together they battled for Jovan’s exoneration. Here is Laura’s firsthand account of their remarkable journey.
This is a harrowing true story about justice, friendship, failure, and success. A breakdown of the justice system sent a nice kid to one of the nation’s nastiest jails for nearly six years without a trial. It would take a triumph of human kindness, ingenuity, and legal jousting to give Jovan even a fighting chance.
Deeply affecting, Long Way Home is a remarkable story of how change can happen even in a flawed system and of how friendship can emanate from the most unexpected places.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
12 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
About the author
Laura Caldwell
32 books165 followersLaura Caldwell is a Chicago-based lawyer turned novelist. Her first book, Burning the Map, was selected by Barnes & Noble.com as one of The Best of 2002. Following that, A Clean Slate received a starred review from Booklist. The release of The Year of Living Famously and The Night I Got Lucky prompted Booklist to declare, “Caldwell is one of the most talented and inventive...writers around.”
Laura began publishing thrillers and suspense novels in 2005. Her debut mystery, Look Closely, received critical acclaim and The Chicago Sun-Times called The Rome Affair “Caldwell’s most exciting book yet…a summer must-read.” The Rome Affair, which centers around a Chicago society couple riding a roller coaster of infidelity, blackmail and murder, pulled Laura into a real-life, highly-profiled murder trial involving a 19-year old suspect forced into a confession and wrongfully jailed for a crime he did not commit. Laura became one of the attorneys who represented the suspect pro bono, resulting in a not-guilty verdict.
Laura's newest is an international thriller, The Good Liar. Bestselling author Ken Bruen calls it "a massive achievement." Publisher's Weekly lauds it as "a taut, enjoyable thriller." And New York Times bestselling author James Rollins said, "THE GOOD LIAR strikes like an assassin's bullet: sudden, swift, precise, deadly. Here is a taut international thriller certain to keep readers breathless and awake until the wee hours of the morning. Not to be missed." Her work has been translated into ten languages and published in over twenty countries.
Before beginning her writing career, Laura was a trial attorney, specializing in medical malpractice defense and entertainment law. She is published in the legal field and is currently an Adjunct Professor of Law at her alma mater, Loyola University Chicago, where she teaches Advanced Writing for Litigation. She recently received the St. Robert Bellarmine award for distinguished contributions to the profession and the Loyola School of Law. In the summer of 2008, she will be teaching International Criminal Law at Loyola's campus in Rome, Italy.
Laura is also a freelance magazine writer. Her work has been published in Chicago Magazine, Woman's Own, The Young Lawyer, Lake Magazine, Australia Woman's Weekly, Shore Magazine and others. Her work can also be seen in Everything I Needed to Know About Being A Girl I Learned From Judy Blume (Pocket Books, 2007), It's A Wonderful Lie: Truth About Life In Your Twenties (Warner, 2006), Girl's Night In II (Red Dress Ink, 2006) Flirting With Pride & Prejudice (BenBella Books, 2005) and Welcome to Wisteria Lane: On America's Favorite Desperate Housewives (BenBella Books, 2006).
Laura began publishing thrillers and suspense novels in 2005. Her debut mystery, Look Closely, received critical acclaim and The Chicago Sun-Times called The Rome Affair “Caldwell’s most exciting book yet…a summer must-read.” The Rome Affair, which centers around a Chicago society couple riding a roller coaster of infidelity, blackmail and murder, pulled Laura into a real-life, highly-profiled murder trial involving a 19-year old suspect forced into a confession and wrongfully jailed for a crime he did not commit. Laura became one of the attorneys who represented the suspect pro bono, resulting in a not-guilty verdict.
Laura's newest is an international thriller, The Good Liar. Bestselling author Ken Bruen calls it "a massive achievement." Publisher's Weekly lauds it as "a taut, enjoyable thriller." And New York Times bestselling author James Rollins said, "THE GOOD LIAR strikes like an assassin's bullet: sudden, swift, precise, deadly. Here is a taut international thriller certain to keep readers breathless and awake until the wee hours of the morning. Not to be missed." Her work has been translated into ten languages and published in over twenty countries.
Before beginning her writing career, Laura was a trial attorney, specializing in medical malpractice defense and entertainment law. She is published in the legal field and is currently an Adjunct Professor of Law at her alma mater, Loyola University Chicago, where she teaches Advanced Writing for Litigation. She recently received the St. Robert Bellarmine award for distinguished contributions to the profession and the Loyola School of Law. In the summer of 2008, she will be teaching International Criminal Law at Loyola's campus in Rome, Italy.
Laura is also a freelance magazine writer. Her work has been published in Chicago Magazine, Woman's Own, The Young Lawyer, Lake Magazine, Australia Woman's Weekly, Shore Magazine and others. Her work can also be seen in Everything I Needed to Know About Being A Girl I Learned From Judy Blume (Pocket Books, 2007), It's A Wonderful Lie: Truth About Life In Your Twenties (Warner, 2006), Girl's Night In II (Red Dress Ink, 2006) Flirting With Pride & Prejudice (BenBella Books, 2005) and Welcome to Wisteria Lane: On America's Favorite Desperate Housewives (BenBella Books, 2006).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
April 27, 2013
I am so glad I chose this as an audio book. It is sad to say I may not have gotten through part one had I been reading the print version. To me it read more like a case study, but I was on a three mile walk, so I kept listening. Admittedly I seldom read non-fiction other than for research. However, the write-up on this story peeked my interest, and since most non-fiction, even in newspapers, incorporates the storytelling skills of fiction and I read that Laura Caldwell was also a novelist, I downloaded the book onto my iPod. Although there was a great deal of backstory in part one and I did not get any real feeling for the character, I would probably rate part one as a 2 or 3 star. However, Caldwell more than made of for it in part two which was a 5 star finish. Her storytelling skills are strong and I will definitely read at least one of her novels. (a hardback by my bedside or another audio book for my morning walks and other down time when I am unable to hold a book in my hands.)
Since I have made it a habit to try an author I have not read previously for every other book, I have discovered many wonderful writers. I tend to be inpatient if a story does not capture my attention and cause me to turn pages. Authors know that we must capture readers right away, encourage them to feel that they must keep turning pagers, however, through listening to scores of audio books, I've learned I should to be more patient as I was found some terrific authors who take a few chapters to make an impact.
Since I have made it a habit to try an author I have not read previously for every other book, I have discovered many wonderful writers. I tend to be inpatient if a story does not capture my attention and cause me to turn pages. Authors know that we must capture readers right away, encourage them to feel that they must keep turning pagers, however, through listening to scores of audio books, I've learned I should to be more patient as I was found some terrific authors who take a few chapters to make an impact.
June 12, 2013
This was a good book. However, audio-book was grueling to get through. The narrator (L. Caldwell) had a monotonous tone and I almost didn't finish listening to it because it was droning, I wish I would have physically read it.
This book is an insight of how the legal system was many years ago, and probably in some instances, still is today. Makes me wonder how many people are in the prison system today due to coercion.
This book is an insight of how the legal system was many years ago, and probably in some instances, still is today. Makes me wonder how many people are in the prison system today due to coercion.
March 21, 2018
An easy read, although difficult subject matter. Some of this is too drawn out. It is disturbing to know that so much corruption and violence exist in this country. Who says we are innocent until proven guilty?
March 21, 2022
I devoured this true account. Great writing!
May 18, 2015
This book is a real life account of how biases, police misconduct and the over burdening of the criminal justice system can result in years of injustice for an innocent young man.
Jovan Moseley is a 19 year old living in one of Chicago's toughest neighbourhoods. Unlike many of his peers, Jovan has no criminal record (exceptional in his area) and has dreams of becoming a lawyer, after a high school co-op in a law office. Unfortunately. those dreams are crushed when he is arrested for murder years after witnessing the 1999 fight that led to a man's death. Jovan is manipulated by police in to signing a false confession, and ends up in a "temporary" jail for over 5 years due to various failings within the court system.
While resigned to the fact that this is where he will now live, Jovan's luck changes through a chance meeting with Cathy O'Daniel. Cathy is a successful Chicago defence attorney who happens to meet Jovan when he protects her at the prison; as a result, she agrees to take his case pro bono. Through a second chance meeting, Cathy meets Laura Caldwell, a Chicago lawyer on leave to follow her true passion- writing.
Laura uses this book to recount the tale of the trial, as well as outline the sociological factors that contributed to Jovan's circumstances before the murder. As well, she manages to simply explain complex legal scenarios: Jovan was charged with murder due to his association in what was supposedly a robbery.
The author also manages to answer the difficult questions that readers (and the jury) will likely be asking themselves. The obvious question that one asks: if Jovan was truly innocent, why was he associating with a group of young men who really did commit murder? When he witnessed the fight, why did he not speak with police immediately? Why did he choose to simply walk away while an assault was taking place? These are serious questions that Laura grapples with as well, and she manages to use this book to explain the sociology behind both. I started this book feeling the same way as the author originally did, asking those same questions. By the end, I had a far greater understanding for Jovan's situation and empathized with him. Cases like these are surely all too common and this book does a great job of raising questions that can hopefully lead to fewer injustices like this.
Jovan Moseley is a 19 year old living in one of Chicago's toughest neighbourhoods. Unlike many of his peers, Jovan has no criminal record (exceptional in his area) and has dreams of becoming a lawyer, after a high school co-op in a law office. Unfortunately. those dreams are crushed when he is arrested for murder years after witnessing the 1999 fight that led to a man's death. Jovan is manipulated by police in to signing a false confession, and ends up in a "temporary" jail for over 5 years due to various failings within the court system.
While resigned to the fact that this is where he will now live, Jovan's luck changes through a chance meeting with Cathy O'Daniel. Cathy is a successful Chicago defence attorney who happens to meet Jovan when he protects her at the prison; as a result, she agrees to take his case pro bono. Through a second chance meeting, Cathy meets Laura Caldwell, a Chicago lawyer on leave to follow her true passion- writing.
Laura uses this book to recount the tale of the trial, as well as outline the sociological factors that contributed to Jovan's circumstances before the murder. As well, she manages to simply explain complex legal scenarios: Jovan was charged with murder due to his association in what was supposedly a robbery.
The author also manages to answer the difficult questions that readers (and the jury) will likely be asking themselves. The obvious question that one asks: if Jovan was truly innocent, why was he associating with a group of young men who really did commit murder? When he witnessed the fight, why did he not speak with police immediately? Why did he choose to simply walk away while an assault was taking place? These are serious questions that Laura grapples with as well, and she manages to use this book to explain the sociology behind both. I started this book feeling the same way as the author originally did, asking those same questions. By the end, I had a far greater understanding for Jovan's situation and empathized with him. Cases like these are surely all too common and this book does a great job of raising questions that can hopefully lead to fewer injustices like this.
June 5, 2013
An interesting and sad story of a young black man (Jevon Mosley) growing up in the neighborhoods outside of Chicago who gets arrested and charged as an accomplice to a murder that he didn't commit. Jevon is intimidated into wrongly confessing to being a participant (after being handcuffed to a wall for 30+ hours with no food/drink or bathroom breaks). Jevon is then thrown into the county jail where he is forced to await trial for an agonizing six years! The author (Laura Caldwell) was one of the lawyers who eventually helped bring Jevon's charge to trial.
Its hard to believe that someone could await trial for that long, but the author does a good job helping provide some insight into our legal system and some of its many challenges and issues. Picking up this book, it is easy to believe that forced wrongful confessions don't really happen, or if for some reason you were in his position, you would simply resist and hold out. I think this book does a good job explaining how broken the system is (in some cases) and how given the right pressure and interrogation, a person might find themselves in the same position as Jevon.
I give it only 3 stars, primarily because I felt the writing was ok at best. There's a lot of conversation that sounds alot like "and then he said... and then he said...". And while I understand that this is also a story that involved and affected the author, the parts where she accounts for what is going on in her life are not really that pertinent to the story or interesting. Parts of the book tend to drag on and become repetitive (like the inside joke about the "B team" and her retelling the accounts of the witnesses and parts of the trial.
I should also mention that I listened to this story as an audiobook and the author narrated. Her voice is very monotone and flat and evokes almost no emotion. This book would have sounded much better had a professional done the reading.
Its hard to believe that someone could await trial for that long, but the author does a good job helping provide some insight into our legal system and some of its many challenges and issues. Picking up this book, it is easy to believe that forced wrongful confessions don't really happen, or if for some reason you were in his position, you would simply resist and hold out. I think this book does a good job explaining how broken the system is (in some cases) and how given the right pressure and interrogation, a person might find themselves in the same position as Jevon.
I give it only 3 stars, primarily because I felt the writing was ok at best. There's a lot of conversation that sounds alot like "and then he said... and then he said...". And while I understand that this is also a story that involved and affected the author, the parts where she accounts for what is going on in her life are not really that pertinent to the story or interesting. Parts of the book tend to drag on and become repetitive (like the inside joke about the "B team" and her retelling the accounts of the witnesses and parts of the trial.
I should also mention that I listened to this story as an audiobook and the author narrated. Her voice is very monotone and flat and evokes almost no emotion. This book would have sounded much better had a professional done the reading.
January 31, 2011
The story this Laura Caldwell tells--and the fact that this story is true--is what makes Long Way Home stunning. The writing is simple and informative, but the tale is so unbelievable and so gripping, simple is the best way it could have been told. Caldwell assumes that most of her readers are unfamiliar with the legal system--an accurate assumption for the target audience of this book--and takes pains to vividly describe everything from point of arrest through interrogation and jail cell confinement, as well as both the civil and criminal court systems. The result is an educational yet gripping tale of exactly what the subtitle promises: a young man lost in the criminal justice system and the two lawyers who saved him.
On a personal note, I read the book in three days. It has been a long, long time since a book kept me up past midnight, and I was grateful to find out that one still can. While this is certainly not the most eloquent or even action-packed book ever written, it is a compelling story that needs to be told, and paired with Caldwell's easy, straightforward writing style, it hit the right chord with me.
February 9, 2014
I listened to this on audio, which I do not recommend. The author is the narrator and this is one example of why authors don't necessarily make good narrators. Despite being close to the events, the narration was monotone. Also, it's told from the author's perspective but there were some points where she was referred to in the third person. It may be clear in printed form that the point of view had changed, but it was not clear in audio.
That being said, the story was excellent! It is an interesting and heart wrenching story of what happened to Jovan: the glaring problems with the penal system in this case, information about false/forced confessions; and courtroom tactics. As someone who works in the area of civil rights, I am not surprised that these kinds of things still happen, but am appalled that they do. I am surprised that I had not heard of his story before; it seems like this should been plastered all over the court tv shows and internet. I feel awful for Jovan, his family and the family of Mr. Howard Thomas - none of this should ever have happened.
That being said, the story was excellent! It is an interesting and heart wrenching story of what happened to Jovan: the glaring problems with the penal system in this case, information about false/forced confessions; and courtroom tactics. As someone who works in the area of civil rights, I am not surprised that these kinds of things still happen, but am appalled that they do. I am surprised that I had not heard of his story before; it seems like this should been plastered all over the court tv shows and internet. I feel awful for Jovan, his family and the family of Mr. Howard Thomas - none of this should ever have happened.
September 23, 2013
Long way home is a top notch book talking about a system that is rife with inefficiencies, fiefdom mentality, stereotypes and generally what is wrong with the legal system in one of the most advanced nations of the world and yet finds time and space to acquaint you with one of the more likable characters that you will encounter in real life based stories. It makes you want to believe in the power of good. It also makes you want that there be an inherent goodness in people cause without that, a lot can go wrong with no way of righting it. Narrated in the first person by Laura, this is a compelling story.
One of the books that almost epitomizes the famous Shakespearean quote - 'life is but a stage and we are all but actors'. Every character in this book seems to be doing what they are supposed to do. It is so difficult to find anyone at fault for doing what they are doing and yet a colossal wrong is being done. And then it takes the inherent good in couple of women to right it all (seemingly, against all the odds). i would recommend this one to everyone.
One of the books that almost epitomizes the famous Shakespearean quote - 'life is but a stage and we are all but actors'. Every character in this book seems to be doing what they are supposed to do. It is so difficult to find anyone at fault for doing what they are doing and yet a colossal wrong is being done. And then it takes the inherent good in couple of women to right it all (seemingly, against all the odds). i would recommend this one to everyone.
November 11, 2013
The story is very heartbreaking. A genuinely sweet African American kid is picked for taking part in a murder. In truth, Javon had walked away as soon as the violence started. At the police station, he was bullying (and tortured, not to put too fine a point on it) to admit to "throwing two punches." Two punches, the police argued, was not murder and would get Javon home. So Javon made the false admission, and spent the next five and a half years in prison - without a trial. Laura Caldwell, lawyer turned novelist, ended up as part of Javon's defense team. It ends well enough (sorry, but you can pretty much see that coming) but readers will be sick at the realization that this is still part of our nation's modus operandi.
November 3, 2010
The story of this young man and what he experienced in the criminal justice system was compelling. If I have one critique it's that I don't know if the parts of the book flowed so well together. I guess the beginning just seemed a little overwhelming, a lot of police reports and details about the incident when the young man got in trouble. But I ended up getting very absorbed in it and didn't want to put it down by the end.
The little insider bits about being a criminal defense attorney and the criminal courts system in Chicago was interesting as well.
The little insider bits about being a criminal defense attorney and the criminal courts system in Chicago was interesting as well.
August 13, 2016
Absolutely the most engaging book I've read in a very long time. This book brings home the ravages of race and poverty, and how those two can lead to the denial of justice. The author shows a lot of sympathy and understanding for the Chicago PD. I too can understand the actions of officers in the light of, I am trying to do my job, and my gut tells me.... I couldn't put the book down. The author was one the lawyers on the case, and is a writer as well. She really did a great job making the subjects human.
June 30, 2013
I wrote a really long review and it didn't get saved. Long story short the general story is good, although I could have done with out the backhanded comments about PDs when the author cannot begin to imagine the emotional and psychic conditions pDs are operating under (that's putting aside the caseload constraints that she acknowledges) when she took her first ever criminal case and only was dealing with that one case.
January 30, 2013
True story about an innocent, good kid from a tough neighborhood of Chicago & how the legal system robbed him of 6 years. The author was one of his lawyers. The book explains the criminal system & explains multiple sides involved to help paint a more complete picture of how an innocent person could sign a confession.
February 26, 2013
A great look from the inside of how the legal system can break down. It's non-fiction that reads like fiction, which makes you care far more for the characters involved. I hope that some changes were made after this case to ensure that such as injustice wouldn't happen again. But given the size of the Chicago/Cook County system, I highly doubt it.
April 27, 2013
Heartfelt and eye-opening because it is a true story! Terrifying, also because it is a true story. I listened to the audiobook version which I found rather monotone, but it was still an awesome story. It would be interesting to hear Jovan's story from his point of view, humanitarianism aside.
July 5, 2016
Easy reading. I'm usually partial to books set in Chicago, and I like courtroom "drama," but these kinds of true stories get me so frustrated that these injustices are happening probably right this minute as well. Not the author's fault.
October 14, 2010
This is Laura Caldwell's first non-fiction book. It is well-written and so interesting. Hard to believe this was a true story.
October 25, 2010
Excellent. I will be writing a review for http://www.womenofmystery.net, where I am a member of the group blog. After that post is up, I'll come back here and add more comments.
December 13, 2010
Thought this would be just a run of the mill book about a criminal trial, but it was riveting and a powerful testament to the power -- and potential abuses -- by the prosecuting system. Loved it!
March 7, 2011
A very sad story about prejudice and our justice system...
May 12, 2011
Eye-opening and heart-touching.
Read
July 30, 2011Know your "rights" and the law cuz if you don't the law will get you like it did this young man - a true story that happens repeatedly.
May 31, 2012
Awesome read! A true story that reads like a fiction!
Read
June 2, 2012It's a shame that the wider public did not home in on this tragic story. An insightful peek into our legal system...hope I never find myself in the wring place at the wrong time!!
August 13, 2012
This is about a kid from a bad Chicago neighborhood who confessed to a murder he didn't commit and the two women who set out to defend him in court.
October 12, 2013
4 1/2 Stars...Excellent and haunting read
July 10, 2015
This is a true story told with the suspense of a novel. It is the story of a young man accused of murder who waits six years before he has a trial.
January 14, 2016
Good example of why Public Defenders have a significant role, and raises awareness on how the justice system doens't always "work." Very inspiring story.
April 14, 2013
this is such touching story that upon finishing this book it felt like loosing a friend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews