Just Mercy

Just Mercy

YA/adult nonfiction
"We [United States] have shot, hanged, gassed, electrocuted, and
lethally injected hundreds of people in the name of the law.
Thousands more await their execution in the section of prisons known
as death row. We've sent a quarter million kids, some under the age
of twelve, to adult jails and prisons. For years we've been the only
country in the world that condemns children to life imprisonment
without parole."
Bryan Stevenson had an epiphany during his senior year in
college: his philosophy degree did not guarantee employment. He
wasn't sure what he wanted to do with his life--just that it had to do
with rectifying poverty and injustice. Law school was disenchanting
until he worked for a few weeks with the Southern Prisoners Defense
Committee.
That was at the point at which executions had resumed in the
deep South. Prisoners with execution dates on the calendar were
unable to get lawyers. They could go to their graves without getting
any kind of legal help. That situation would not have launched many
people's careers. For Stevenson, however, it was a call to vocation.
He shares that call and where it led him in Just Mercy.
Woven through the book is the story of a black man, Walter
McMillan, who was wrongly accused of the murder of Ronda Morrison, the
white college student daughter of a well known family. There was a
lot of pressure to find the killer. Walter had angered a lot of
people by carrying on adultery with a white woman. When a man
indicted for another murder implicated McMillan in the Morrison
murder--even though the story was implausible, even though McMillan
had an alibi and dozens of witnesses--a guilty verdict ensued.
McMillan had to survive six years on death row--seeing fellow inmates
take that last walk--before Stevenson was able to get him freed.
Readers will also learn about other victims of injustice such as:
*Charlie, 14, who fatally shot his mother's abusive boyfriend who he
believed had just killed her and was repeatedly raped in jail,
*Trina, an abused, homeless, psychologically challenged teen who
unintentionally set a fire that killed two friends, was sentenced to
life with no possibility of parole, and was impregnated by rape by a
correctional officer,
and *Marsha, mother of six, who was sentenced to life without
possibility of parole for delivering a stillborn child.
"My work has taught me a vital lesson: each of us is more than
the worst thing we've ever done. I am persuaded that the opposite of
poverty is not wealth; the opposite of poverty is justice. Finally,
I've come to believe that the true measure of our commitment to
justice, fairness, and equality cannot be measured by how we treat the
rich, the respected, and the privileged among us. The true measure of
our character is how we treat the poor, the disfavored, the accused,
the incarcerated, and the condemned."
If you agree with Stevenson, you'll find Just Mercy to be a must
read.
On a purrrsonal note, I had a great weekend. Saturday I volunteered
at community garden, mostly weeding. It was hot, sticky work. We had
a good crew. Toward the end when it was just me and DJ. I turned the
hose on mist and sprayed myself. Then I sprayed DJ. We were like two
little kids. That's when I decided I'm not going to try to push
myself to make 100 volunteer hours this year. It's not like I won't
volunteer whenever I can. I just want it to be a source of joy, not
anxiety.
Sunday Eugene treated me to breakfast at Dennys. Then we were driving
all over Maine. We ran into a big old storm up near the Canadian
border. When we were back in Bangor Eugene treated me to supper at
Ruby Tuesday. At Brewer Goodwill he got me a cute shirt that says
DREAM
BIG
SPARKLE
MORE
SHINE BRIGHT
and a pair of adorable Beanie Baby bride and groom bears--just
purrrfect to find on our 30th anniversary eve. It was a purrrfect day.
Joey continues to be sweet and adorable and to gobble up his baby food
at night.
Great big shout outs go out to my beloved husband, Eugene, and to the
best little cat in the world who loves me.
jules hathaway


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