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Description edit
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’s home, a young cocktail waitress named Debra Sue Carter was... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Summary edit
John Grisham’s first work of nonfiction, an exploration of small town justice gone terribly awry, is 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,... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)
People edit
- Ronald Keith Williamson: aka Ron/Ronnie. First player chosen from the State of Oklahoma in major league draft - 1971. Wrongly convicted of the murder of Debbie Carter.
- Dennis Fritz: Ron's friend
- Juanita Williamson: Ron's mom.
- Roy Williamson: Ron's father.
- Annette Hudson: She is the sister of Ron, the innocent man. She is always there to help her brother through the "trials" he goes through.
- Renee Simmons: This is Ron's sister.
- Bill Peterson: This is the prosecuting attorney who helped convict Ron.
- Debra Sue Carter: aka Debbie. The 21 year old cocktail waitress who was raped and murdered in Ada.
- Ricky Joe Simmons: He confesses to the crime Ron committed.
- Carol Edwards: A friend of Peggy who lived near Debbie's house
- Charlie Carter: Debbie's father
- Donna Johnson: High school friend of Debbie, who first spotted her body
- Peggy Stillwell: Debra's mother
- Gina Vietta: Debbie's friend
- Glen Gore: The DJ and bartender, who was Debbie's school mate and was last seen with Debbie in Coachlight.
- Mike Carpenter: Bouncer at Coachlight
- Terri Carpenter: Waitress at Coachlight and Mike's wife
- Toni Ramsey: The shoe-shine girl at Coachlight
- Tommy Glover: Debbie's colleague at the glass company
- Denice Haraway: Another murder victim, a few months after Debbie Carter's.
- Tommy Ward: Convicted of Denice Haraway's murder on flimsy evidence.
- Karl Fontenot: Convicted of Denice Haraway's murder on flimsy evidence.
- Greg Wilhoit: Wrongfully convicted (and later exonerated) of murdering his wife. Spent time on Death Row with Ron.
- Mark Barrett: A lawyer. Helped free Ron.
- Barry Scheck: Part of the Innocence Project.
Quotes edit
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“Wrongful convictions occur every month in every state in this country and the reasons are all varied and all the same -- bad police work, junk science, faulty eyewitness identifications, bad defense lawyers, lazy prosecutors, arrogant prosecutors.”
- Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers
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Hopt v. Utah, the Supreme Court ruled that a confession is not admissible if it is obtained by operating on the hopes or fears of the accused, and in doing so deprives him of the freedom of will or self-control necessary to make a voluntary statement.
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In 1897, the Court, in Bram v. United States, said that a statement must be free and voluntary, not extracted by any sorts of threats or violence or promises, however slight. A confession obtained from an accused who has been threatened cannot be admissible.
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IN 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a case known as Bishop v. United States, ruled that the conviction of a mentally incompetent person was a denial of due process. Where doubt exists as to a person’s mental competency, the failure to conduct a proper inquiry is a deprivation of his constitutional rights.
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Debbie Carter, a twenty-one-year-old local girl who’d graduated from Ada High School a few years earlier and was enjoying the single life.
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Mike and Terri Carpenter both worked at the Coachlight, he as a bouncer, she as a waitress.
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Glen Gore, stopped by and asked Debbie to dance. She did, but halfway through the song she suddenly stopped and angrily walked away from Gore. Later, in the ladies’ restroom, she said she would feel safer if one of her girlfriends would spend the night at her place, but she did not say what worried her.
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Tommy Glover knew Debbie well because he worked with her at a local glass company. He also knew Gore.
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IN A famous 1963 decision, Brady v. Maryland, the U.S. Supreme Court held that “the suppression by the prosecution of evidence favorable to an accused upon request violates due process where the evidence is material either to guilt or to punishment, irrespective of the good faith or bad faith of the prosecution.”
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Gore, who didn’t own a car, had bummed a ride to the Coachlight with an acquaintance named Ron West,
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Toni Ramsey worked at the club as a shoe-shine girl.
Highlighted by 7 Kindle customers
Setting & Locations edit
Organizations edit
- Innocence Project: From wikipedia: "The Innocence Project is a non-profit legal organization that is committed to exonerating wrongly convicted people through the use of DNA testing, and to reforming the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice."
First Sentence edit
The rolling hills of southeast Oklahoma stretch from Norman across to Arkansas and show little evidence of the vast deposits of crude oil that were once beneath them.
Table of Contents edit
Chapters 1 - 17
Author's Note
Series & Lists edit
Authors & Contributors edit
- John Grisham (Author)
Other Contributors:
- John Fontana (Designer) - Cover Design
- Royalty-Free/CORBIS (Photographer) - Cover Photo
First Edition edit
Original Language: English
Publisher: Doubleday
Country: United States
Publication Date: October 2006
ISBN: 978-0385517232
Page Count: 435
Publisher: Doubleday
Country: United States
Publication Date: October 2006
ISBN: 978-0385517232
Page Count: 435
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: KF224.W5535 G75 2006
- Dewey: 345.76602523
Subjects edit
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Links to Supplemental Material edit
- John Grisham: Author's website
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