<![CDATA[The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town]]>

false <![CDATA[The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165518851m/5345.jpg 5345 29 John Grisham tackles nonfiction for the first time with The Innocent Man, a true tale about murder and injustice in a small town (that reads like one of his own bestselling novels). The Innocent Man 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. --Daphne Durham <hr noshade="noshade" size="1" class="bucketDivider" /><div class="bucket"> 20 Second Interview: A Few Words with John Grisham <img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/books/promos/a-plus/grisham.1.jpg" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="0" align="left"> Q: After almost two decades of writing fiction, what compelled you to write non-fiction, particularly investigative journalism? A: 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. Q: Why this case? A: 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. Q: How did you go about your research? A: 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. Q: Did your training as a lawyer help you? A: 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. Q: Throughout your book you mention, The Dreams of Ada: A True Story of Murder, Obsession, and a Small Town. How did you come across that book, and how did it impact your writing The Innocent Man? A: Several of the people in Oklahoma I met mentioned The Dreams of Ada 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. Q: 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? A: 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. Q: 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 The Innocent Man will impact this community and other small rural towns as they struggle with the realities of the justice system? A: 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. Q: What do you hope your readers will take away from The Innocent Man? A: 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. </div> <hr /="/" noshade="noshade" class="bucketDivider" size="1"> <div class="bucket"> 3202981 10 10 2006 The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town total:7395|5:1527|4:2569|3:2127|2:823|1:349| 7395 26287 9916 1598 5 4 false false Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Fri Dec 28 10:44:46 -0800 2007 Fri Dec 28 11:14:01 -0800 2007
I myself practice criminal law, and of course if you asked me, I'd say there are bad cops out there, and bad prosecutors, and bad defense attorneys a...more...]]> 2 1 false false Thu Nov 06 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Sun Dec 07 10:07:25 -0800 2008 Sun Dec 07 10:10:58 -0800 2008 1 Set in the quiet Bible Belt town of Ada, Oklahoma, The Innocent Man is a very well written novel about a man named Ronald Williamson, who was wrongly accused of a murder. Grisham describes the town perfectly when he says, “Had it not been for two notorious murders in the early 1980s, Ada wou...more...]]> 4 1 false false Tue Mar 31 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Mar 31 22:42:51 -0700 2009 Tue Mar 31 22:45:47 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 1 false false Thu Mar 05 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Thu Mar 05 16:01:13 -0800 2009 Thu Mar 05 16:02:28 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 2 false false Sat Apr 12 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sat Apr 12 11:51:59 -0700 2008 Sat Apr 12 11:58:59 -0700 2008 more...]]> 4 3 false false Fri Aug 15 09:37:06 -0700 2008 Fri Aug 15 09:38:40 -0700 2008 5 1 false false Wed Jun 18 18:16:23 -0700 2008 Wed Jun 18 18:38:10 -0700 2008 The characters in this book were wonderful, interesting, multi-layered and very engaging or very horrible. The fact that these are real people...more...]]> 2 2 false false Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Sat Jan 19 21:42:45 -0800 2008 Sun Jan 20 13:44:41 -0800 2008
Early in his book, Grisham...more...]]> 3 1 false false Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2006 Tue Oct 23 07:25:32 -0700 2007 Tue Oct 23 07:25:32 -0700 2007
The Innocent Man alternates between a compelling account o...more...]]> 4 1 false false Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Tue Jan 01 06:47:27 -0800 2008 Tue Jan 01 06:48:35 -0800 2008 more...]]> 4 1 false false Sat Mar 28 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Mar 27 23:32:13 -0700 2009 Sat Mar 28 23:01:20 -0700 2009 more...]]> 1 1 false false Fri Nov 21 13:10:31 -0800 2008 Fri Nov 21 13:10:39 -0800 2008 more...]]> 5 1 false false Fri Sep 05 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Mon Sep 22 14:15:08 -0700 2008 Mon Nov 10 08:11:41 -0800 2008 more...]]> 3 0 false false Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Wed Apr 01 17:24:00 -0700 2009 Wed Apr 01 18:08:35 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Feb 14 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sun Feb 15 19:59:07 -0800 2009 Sun Feb 15 20:08:42 -0800 2009
The book is about a man Roy Williamson. He was a small town boy who had high asperations. He was drafted into the MLB, and had hope to make the majors one day. Life through him s...more...]]> 3 0 false false Sat Jan 10 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sat Jan 10 12:12:10 -0800 2009 Sat Jan 10 12:12:55 -0800 2009 Martin Chuzzlewit, which took forever, I wanted to read something I knew would go quickly. This was just the ticket! As fast-paced as his fiction, with a little bit less intrigue, this was really interesting.

I suppose any "true crime" story will always be...more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Dec 11 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Wed Dec 17 09:22:40 -0800 2008 Wed Dec 17 10:08:29 -0800 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Sep 11 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sat Dec 06 11:03:10 -0800 2008 Sat Dec 06 11:03:41 -0800 2008 Ron Williamson was falsely accused and sentenced to death for a woman’s murder in Ada, OK in 1981. A man with...more...]]> 3 0 false false Sun Oct 25 03:05:59 -0700 2009 Sun Oct 25 03:41:22 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Jul 22 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Thu Oct 08 12:17:50 -0700 2009 Thu Oct 08 12:18:52 -0700 2009
By now, there is no excuse for starting to read this book believing that it is written to Grisham's usual formula. This is not a brilliantly written legal thriller. It is an excellent piece of investigative journalism, and it is very clear that John Grisham has invested...more...]]> http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=5345