The Innocent Man | 
 enlarge | Author: John Grisham
Publisher: Dell
Category: Book
List Price: $7.99
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Rating:  550 reviews
Sales Rank: 1316
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 448
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 3.9 x 1.4
ISBN: 0440243831
Dewey Decimal Number: 345.76602523
EAN: 9780440243830
ASIN: 0440243831
Publication Date: November 20, 2007
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Amazon.com Review
John Grisham tackles nonfiction for the first time with iThe Innocent Man/i, a true tale about murder and injustice in a small town (that reads like one of his own bestselling novels). iThe Innocent Man/i chronicles the story of Ron Williamson, how he was arrested and charged with a crime he did not commit, how his case was (mis)handled and how an innocent man was sent to death row. Grisham's first work of nonfiction is shocking, disturbing, and enthralling--a must read for fiction and nonfiction fans. We had the opportunity to talk with John Grisham about the case and the book, read his responses below. i--Daphne Durham/i hr noshade="noshade" size="1" class="bucketDivider" /b class="h1" 20 Second Interview: A Few Words with John Grisham/bbrbrimg src="http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/books/promos/a-plus/grisham.1.jpg" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="0" align="left" bQ:/b After almost two decades of writing fiction, what compelled you to write non-fiction, particularly investigative journalism?br bA:/b I was never tempted to write non-fiction, primarily because it's too much work. However, obviously, I love a good legal thriller, and the story of Ron Williamson has all the elements of a great suspenseful story.brbr bQ:/b Why this case?br bA:/b Ron Williamson and I are about the same age and we both grew up in small towns in the south. We both dreamed of being major league baseball players. Ron had the talent, I did not. When he left a small town in 1971 to pursue his dreams of major league glory, many thought he would be the next Mickey Mantle, the next great one from the state of Oklahoma. The story of Ron ending up on Death Row and almost being executed for a murder he did not commit was simply too good to pass up.brbr bQ:/b How did you go about your research?br bA:/b I started with his family. Ron is survived by two sisters who took care of him for most of his life. They gave me complete access to the family records, photographs, Ron's mental health records, and so on. There was also a truckload of trial transcripts, depositions, appeals, etc., that took about 18 months to organize and review. Many of the characters in the story are still alive and I traveled to Oklahoma countless times to interview them.brbr bQ:/b Did your training as a lawyer help you?br bA:/b Very much so. It enabled me to understand the legal issues involved in Ron's trial and his appeals. It also allowed me, as it always does, to be able to speak the language with lawyers and judges.brbr bQ:/b Throughout your book you mention, iThe Dreams of Ada: A True Story of Murder, Obsession, and a Small Town/i. How did you come across that book, and how did it impact your writing iThe Innocent Man/i?br bA:/b Several of the people in Oklahoma I met mentioned iThe Dreams of Ada/i to me, and I read it early on in the process. It is an astounding book, a great example of true crime writing, and I relied upon it heavily during my research. Robert Mayer, the author, was completely cooperative, and kept meticulous notes from his research 20 years earlier. Many of the same characters are involved in his story and mine.brbr bQ:/b You take on some pretty controversial and heated topics in your book--the death penalty, prisoner s rights, DNA analysis, police conduct, and more--were any of your own beliefs challenged by this story and its outcome?br bA:/b None were challenged, but my eyes were open to the world of wrongful convictions. Even as a former criminal defense attorney, I had never spent much time worrying about wrongful convictions. But, unfortunately, they happen all the time in this country, and with increasing frequency.brbr bQ:/b So many of the key players in this case are either still in office or practicing attorneys. Many family members and friends still live in the same small town. How do you think iThe Innocent Man/i will impact this community and other small rural towns as they struggle with the realities of the justice system? br bA:/b Exonerations seem to be happening weekly. And with each one of them, the question is asked--how can an innocent man be convicted and kept in prison for 20 years? My book is the story of only one man, but it is a good example of how things can go terribly wrong with our judicial system. I have no idea how the book will be received in the small town of Ada, Oklahoma, or any other town.brbr bQ:/b What do you hope your readers will take away from iThe Innocent Man/i?br bA:/b A better understanding of how innocent people can be convicted, and a greater concern for the need to reimburse and rehabilitate innocent men after they have been released.brbr hr /="/" noshade="noshade" class="bucketDivider" size="1" p clear="all"
Product Description
In the town of Ada, Oklahoma, Ron Williamson was going to be the next Mickey Mantle. But on his way to the Big Leagues, Ron stumbled, his dreams broken by drinking, drugs, and women. Then, on a winter night in 1982, not far from Ron#8217;s home, a young cocktail waitress named Debra Sue Carter was savagely murdered. The investigation led nowhere. Until, on the flimsiest evidence, it led to Ron Williamson. The washed-up small-town hero was charged, tried, and sentenced to death#8212;in a trial littered with lying witnesses and tainted evidence that would shatter a man#8217;s already broken life#8230;and let a true killer go free. Impeccably researched, grippingly told, filled with eleventh-hour drama, John Grisham#8217;s first work of nonfiction reads like a page-turning legal thriller. It is a book that will terrify anyone who believes in the presumption of innocence#8212;a book no American can afford to miss.b br/b
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| Customer Reviews: Read 545 more reviews...
 Good story November 21, 2008
Erin Brooks (London)
Non fiction book about Ron Williamson, who was wrongly convicted of murdering a young woman in the 80s. The book also includes the stories of Dennis Fritz, implicated in the same murder, and a couple other people who faced similar charges while being innocent. Ron narrowly escaped the death penalty. This is a gripping story for anyone interested in the death penalty etc. Ron is an unlikely hero with severe psychological, drinking and drug issues. However his story and what happened to him is so unbelievable that you have to read it to believe it. This book really makes you think about the justice system and how people with a certain degree of authority and a personal agenda can destroy the lives of so many for no valid reason. br /
 Appalling "story" November 17, 2008
Harmonious (San Juan, PR Puerto Rico)
This is a true but horrific story that unfolds in Oklahoma. The book mainly depicts five wrongful convictions for murder. Of those five cases, there is one in particular that gets highlighted: Ron K. Williamson's. Ron is a former athlete bedeviled by mental illness that gets railroaded in a murder case in a small town courtroom in rural Oklahoma. br / br / There were irregularities all the way from the police investigation to the prosecution and, even later, during the incarceration period. Ron Williamson's ordeal as a Death Row inmate elicits the sympathy and compassion of the readers towards him. John Grisham, the author, is an accomplished writer that keeps the reader spellbound throughout the book.
 A Startling Book November 12, 2008
Jimmy Damintz (Philadelphia, PA)
This was an excellently crafted book especially for non-fiction. The most important aspect, overall about the book is that the book didn't distort the real character of Ron Williamson. Grisham's descriptions about him Ron have been excessive but it did hammer home the point this was not a good person. At times, I tried to rationalize and blame the Ada authorities incompetence because of Ron's poor character. To be honest, at times I didn'r really feel that sorry for him. br / br /It is amazing to see how someone can be wrongfully prosecuted. After reading the book, I did some other research and found a website of the district attorney who prosecuted the case. The website does show evidence that the DA is virtually clueless. There is tons of rambling text but none of it seems to address the lack of evidence and why he prosecuted with such little evidence. The book doesn't appear to be exaggerate the facts to sell. br / br / br /
The scapegoats October 30, 2008
Linda Pagliuco (CT, United States)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
It's becoming a well known fact in the US - there are two different justice systems, one for those who can afford the best defense, the other for those who cannot. The indigent can be, and often are, treated to a paltry parody of trial and sentencing. Nowhere have I encountered a better example of this than in John Grisham's account of the railroading of Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz in the Oklahoma murder case of Debra Carter. Grisham recounts the outrageous details of the case, in which every standard of evidence, from the sloppy work of the local police to the misconduct of attorneys and judges, was blatantly mocked. The trials were both travesties of perjury and corruption, based upon the testimony of snitches and legal system cronies. br / br /Whether or not Ron Williamson was a nice person or a sane one, whether or not he had the potential for violence, he and Dennis Fritz did not commit this murder. The authorities destroyed the lives of two men and their families, while failing to prosecute the true culprit, who was always prominent in the picture, and indeed provided false testimony. Readers can usually ignore "must read" recommendations, but with respect to The Innocent Man, it is "a book that no American can afford to miss." The system of justice upon which our country is based is in danger.
 Stick to Fiction October 29, 2008
Raymond Greenfield
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
After the number of novels Grisham has written, many people (like me) will buy this book based purely on the author. Grisham has traded on his name to promote a non-fiction long drawn out encyclopedia type series of facts about a truly sorry tale. br / br /If you are buying this based on Grisham's past work expecting a fast paced intriguing story...DONT...it's not even close.
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