Jennifer Thompson was raped at knifepoint by a man who broke into her apartment while she slept. She was able to escape, and eventually positively...
read full description
reviews
Sep 30, 2008
Big Apple Book Addict
rated it: 
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
0 comments
like
(3 people liked it)
Apr 01, 2009
Dana
rated it:
Jennifer Thompson was a senior in college planning to get married when the unthinkable happened. One evening a man broke into her apartment and raped her at knifepoint. Jennifer memorized his face and her quick thinking allowed her to escape. She was able to come up with a composite drawing with the police and later was able to pick out Ronald Cotton in a lineup. Her testimony put him away in jail for a life sentence. A later re-trial would give Ronald two life sentences.
After eleven More...
After eleven More...
0 comments
like
(4 people liked it)
Jan 27, 2012
John
rated it: 
I bought this book a couple years ago (after seeing the primary authors on an episode of "60 Minutes" and being moved by their story)...last night after unpacking several cartons of books and moving them onto our newly available bookshelves, I just picked this one and began reading. Wow!
An entirely true and very moving account of (as the subtitle says it) "injustice and redemption." The 60 Minutes report was largely a report on how eye-witness testimony is far FAR More...
An entirely true and very moving account of (as the subtitle says it) "injustice and redemption." The 60 Minutes report was largely a report on how eye-witness testimony is far FAR More...
Oct 24, 2011
Elias
rated it:
Picking Cotton written by Jennifer Thompson- Cannino and Ronald Cotton with Erin Torneo, published in 2008 is a true story about a man who was wrongly accused of rape, breaking and entering, and many other charges on different occasions. This story explains how a man spent 11 years wasted in prison on a matter in which he was innocent. The author’s purpose was to create a moving emotional story in how two people can go from hating each other to the point where tears fall and then later on become
More...
Jun 09, 2011
Lynn
rated it:
Picking Cotton: Our Memoir of Injustice and Redemption by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton is co-authored by a victim of rape and the man who was falsely accused of the crime, with the assistance of writer Erin Torneo. The format alternates from Jennifer’s to Ronald’s perspectives and the story reads like a documentary.
Picking Cotton opens with a “happily ever after” prologue that took decades to reach. The interim was an excruciating journey of mistakes and misery. Within t More...
Picking Cotton opens with a “happily ever after” prologue that took decades to reach. The interim was an excruciating journey of mistakes and misery. Within t More...
Feb 09, 2011
Julie
rated it:
In 1984, Jennifer Thompson was asleep in her bed when a man broke in and raped her. She concentrated on his face, trying to notice every detail so she could help the police find him if she were able to get away. She did, and when the police showed her photos and put her in front of a line-up, she identified Ronald Cotton as her rapist. She was positive she had the right man. He was found guilty based on her eyewitness account, and sentenced to life in prison. Eleven years later, a DNA test showe
More...
Jan 10, 2011
Jene
rated it:
I first learned of Jennifer and Ronald's story about eight years ago when I head Jennifer speak at an anti-death penalty event.
Their story highlights the horrifying reality that eyewitness misidentification is the single greatest cause of wrongful convictions nationwide, playing a role in more than 75% of convictions overturned through DNA testing.
Jennifer was a college student in 1984 when a knife-wielding man broke into her apartment and raped her. During the ordeal Jennif More...
Their story highlights the horrifying reality that eyewitness misidentification is the single greatest cause of wrongful convictions nationwide, playing a role in more than 75% of convictions overturned through DNA testing.
Jennifer was a college student in 1984 when a knife-wielding man broke into her apartment and raped her. During the ordeal Jennif More...
Jul 06, 2010
Matt
rated it: 
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
May 10, 2009
Phoenix
rated it:
This is a memoir by two individuals, co-written. Jennifer Thompson-Cannino was brutally raped at knifepoint in college. She spent over half an hour inches away from her rapist, talking to him, interacting with him, carefully studying his face. She ran through the night to escape when she had a chance. She helped the police make a composite sketch. She picked a man out of a photo lineup, and then a man out of an in-person lineup, and went to trial twice to convict that man. (Ronald Cotton.)
More...
Feb 22, 2010
Lisa
rated it:
I saw an interview with Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton on "60 Minutes" about a year ago, and the concept of their book fascinated me: a white woman misidentified her black rapist, sending an innocent man to prison for years. When DNA evidence exonerates him, they meet, he forgives her for her mistake, and they become close friends.
The book delves into a lot more of the darker emotions on both sides: the rage and fear that dominated both Cotton's and Thompson's li More...
The book delves into a lot more of the darker emotions on both sides: the rage and fear that dominated both Cotton's and Thompson's li More...
May 27, 2011
Kellz
rated it:
this story is told from the point of view of both Thompson-Cannino and Cotton (with most of Cotton's story taking place in prison). it's heartbreaking for both of them: Ronald being innocent and incarcerated (obviously) but also for Jennifer, as her life crumbles around her because of the way that she, as a rape victim is treated, even by the people closest to her. cliche as it sounds, it's really beautiful that she and Cotton were able to actually become friends after the whole ordeal, and the
More...
Jan 14, 2010
Elizabeth
rated it:
this is written from the perspective of both jennifer and ronald. jennifer was raped while asleep in bed one night. she was a college student at the time and lived alone. her rapist broke into her apartment and she awoke to find him straddled on top of her. she managed to escape from him, but was traumatized for life. ronald cotton was a dishwasher at a local restaurant. he was riding a bike in the neighborhood at the time of the rape and the rest became a living hell for him.
More...
More...
Feb 14, 2010
Shannon
rated it:
I saw in the newspaper a couple of weeks ago that this book was selected for the 2010 Summer Reading Program for the UNC's incoming freshman and transfer students. So, when I was in the library and saw it on the shelf not far away from our next book club selection, I though "why not?"
This is the story of a woman who was brutally raped while in college who mistakenly identified a man who subsequently was imprisoned for 11 years as her attacker. The man, Ronald Cotton, who More...
This is the story of a woman who was brutally raped while in college who mistakenly identified a man who subsequently was imprisoned for 11 years as her attacker. The man, Ronald Cotton, who More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
May 06, 2009
Nick
rated it:
Jennifer Thompson was raped at knifepoint in North Carolina when she was 22. She identified Ronald Cotton as her attacker. She was wrong. DNA evidence exonerated Cotton after he had served 11 years. Following his release, the two transform their horrible bond, incredibly, into an affirmation of loving, human forgiveness.
Writer Erin Torneo tells Thompson and Cotton's stories as first-person narratives, largely from their own words. As a consequence, the writing sometimes lacks po More...
Writer Erin Torneo tells Thompson and Cotton's stories as first-person narratives, largely from their own words. As a consequence, the writing sometimes lacks po More...
Jan 30, 2011
Kristin (Kritters Ramblings)
rated it:
Thank you to a blogger who recently reviewed this book, I am sorry I can't remember where I found it. A great read about a young woman who was burglarized and raped in the middle of the night in her college apartment. She went on to identify her attacker who was sentenced to life in prison. After 11 years, a simple DNA test set him free. Now the victim and accuser are friends, yep, crazy - but this makes the book a great read - to find out how it all happens.
When I read the review on More...
When I read the review on More...
Dec 02, 2010
marcus
rated it:
Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton tell the story of how their lives became intertwined the day she picked him out of a lineup and identified him as the man who raped her. She hates him and hopes he dies in prison. He insists he did not commit the crime and proclaims his innocence through his trial and appeals process. He even identifies the man who raped Thompson, but little happens and Cotton spends eleven years in prison.
Cotton's case drew interest from lawyers at the Unive More...
Cotton's case drew interest from lawyers at the Unive More...
Aug 31, 2009
Randy
rated it:
I’m fascinated by redemption, forgiveness, and the power of being ‘strong at the broken places,’ so Picking Cotton: Our Memoir of Injustice and Redemption by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton with Erin Torneo had me at hello, but it was the complicated shape-shifting of relationships in this story that burned this book into me.
Picking Cotton made me need to be a better person; just reading it allowed me a glimpse into hope.
Jennifer Thompson woke up to a man in More...
Picking Cotton made me need to be a better person; just reading it allowed me a glimpse into hope.
Jennifer Thompson woke up to a man in More...
Dec 18, 2011
Andrew
rated it:
I listened to this book on audio CD on my commutes to and from work. Was completely enthralled. From my work as a public defender, defending people accused in criminal cases, I already knew of the problem of false identifications. This story makes it indisputable that false ID really happens. People like Cotton play a role in answering questions to police when they are unsure of their answers. And the police played a subtle role in persuading certain witnesses to corroborate circumstantial f
More...
Jan 17, 2011
Marjorie
rated it: 
Read this book as a possible choice for a "UCLA Common Book" selection for all incoming students.
I was disappointed. The story is framed as being about the unreliability of memory and the power of forgiveness. A woman is raped and picks a man out of a lineup and is convinced throughout his trial that this is the man who raped her. After 13 (?) years in jail the man is exonerated on DNA evidence. The man holds no grudge and the two become friends. So on the one hand it's a More...
I was disappointed. The story is framed as being about the unreliability of memory and the power of forgiveness. A woman is raped and picks a man out of a lineup and is convinced throughout his trial that this is the man who raped her. After 13 (?) years in jail the man is exonerated on DNA evidence. The man holds no grudge and the two become friends. So on the one hand it's a More...
May 25, 2009
Jasmine
rated it:
A very addictive book that takes you through a wide range of emotions. The story is really incredible. Sadness and frustration sets in with a heavy dose of pity, then the books turns almost a little too sappily sweet with lessons on forgiveness, that I do have to admit are pretty amazing. The thing I was most surprised by when reading this book is that when I read the first part about the rape of Jennifer, I was obviously appalled at reading her recollections and of course, very sad. However, as
More...
Jan 12, 2011
Jill
rated it:
Jennifer is attacked and sexually assaulted in her own apartment late one night. Bravely fighting off her attacker, she later gives the police a good description of the assailant. From a police line-up, Jennifer mistakenly identifies Ron Cotton as her attacker. Charged and found guilty, Cotton is sent to prison.
In Picking Cotton, Ron and Jennifer tell their story from their own perspectives. Jennifer talks of the affects of the attack on her health, her family and her relationships. Ro More...
In Picking Cotton, Ron and Jennifer tell their story from their own perspectives. Jennifer talks of the affects of the attack on her health, her family and her relationships. Ro More...
Jan 05, 2010
Erin
rated it:
Picking Cotton is the true story of how Jennifer Thompson-Cannino picked Ronald Cotton out of a line-up as the man who raped her. Cotton was convicted and spent 11 years in prison before DNA evidence showed he was innocent. Picking Cotton is told in Thompson-Cannino and Cotton's alternating voices, starting before the trial and leading up to their eventual friendship after Cotton was released. This is a compelling story, and the skilled writing does it justice. Even though I knew the ending, I f
More...
Oct 17, 2009
Lois
rated it:
The first half of the book seems to plod along with stories from both Jennifer and Joseph. Since they shared their stories with a third party writer, the writing about each of their lives has the same tambre unfortunately. It's not convincing to read a non-fiction book where both characters dialogue sounds like they graduated with the same education and both lived in the same neighborhood when we know that Jennifer came from affluence and Joseph came from disadvantage. The second half of the
More...
Dec 28, 2011
Becky
rated it:
This is the story of an innocent man convicted of a rape he didn't commit and the woman who wrongly identified him in a lineup. The first third of the book is her story; the second third is his story; and the last part is the story of how his conviction was overturned and how they developed a close bond. He spent 11 years in jail until being freed by DNA evidence, despite the fact that he found out the identity of the guilty man within a few months. It's a heartbreaking and moving story, and it
More...
Sep 25, 2011
Alicia
rated it:
I have to be honest, I originally had no interest in reading this book. It was assigned as my summer read and once I learned the authors would be speaking at my university in a couple of weeks I decided to pick it up. It was an inspiring and touching story but what really made the book for me was the fact that it was set in my home state of North Carolina. My humble Harnett County was even mentioned a few times. I also had no idea that this book had anything to do with Troy Davis, but it turns o
More...
May 30, 2009
Anastasia
rated it:
This is well-written and is really sucking me in. I can't believe how horrible this is for both of them: one was raped, the other wrongly convicted. Ultimately, though, it is a book of hope, and one well worth reading.
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Apr 17, 2011
Kendra
rated it:
This is the true story of Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton. Through the mid 80's and into the 90's, their story was in the news: Jennifer was raped in her sleep and the man she identified was Ronald Cotton. After DNA testing started, Ronald Cotton finally was granted the right to DNA testing and was cleared from this crime. The true rapist was a man he had to see in prison on a regular basis and he went through hell in prison, as most would imagine. After their reunion, they developed
More...
Apr 05, 2011
Monk
rated it:
This is the second book I've read in the last couple of years dealing with innocent people being convicted of crimes. This one is co-written by the victim of the crime and the person she mistakenly identified in two lineups. It tells the story of the crime; the trial; the experiences of an innocent man in prison; the eleven-year journey to be exonerated; and the unlikely friendship that developed between the accuser and accused. Fascinating stuff. Among the remarkable aspects of the story is
More...
Jan 20, 2010
John
rated it:
An extremely well-written, transparent narrative by both the falsely imprisoned Ronald Cotton and the woman who accused him of raping her, Jennifer Thompson. The folksy yet emotional style reveals the pains Thompson went through of being raped, the ostracizing by friends and family afterwards, the traumatic trials she endured and ultimately her guilt and shame for picking the wrong man out of a police lineup. Equally fascinating is Cotton's description of being locked up for 11 years for a crime
More...
Mar 09, 2011
Empress5150
rated it:
Interesting for me to report that a book telling the true story of a young woman being raped in her own bed by a home intruder and the subsequent imprisonment of the wrong man for 11 years (based on her unending conviction that he was the rapist) is one I'd rate "Really Liked It", but, I did.
Why? Because, despite the difficulty of reading about her rape and its aftermath AND the fact an innocent man went to prison, there were so many life lessons contained in this well-writt More...
Why? Because, despite the difficulty of reading about her rape and its aftermath AND the fact an innocent man went to prison, there were so many life lessons contained in this well-writt More...
