Just Mercy

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2014

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Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Introduction - Chapter 3

Chapters 4-6

Chapters 7-10

Chapters 11-13

Chapter 14 - Epilogue

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Themes

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Important Quotes

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Chapters 11-13Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 11 Summary: I’ll Fly Away

EJI experiences numerous threats over Walter’s case—three bomb threats in two months, threatening phone calls, and racist letters. They persevere despite this. “We had work to do” (204). Judge Norton denies their appeal, which Stevenson half expected. Norton wants to be a “custodian” for the system, rather than dismantle it (204). Stevenson tells Walter not to lose hope—their best chance is yet to come, with the Alabama Court of Appeals. Michael moves on from EJI to work as a public defender in San Diego and is replaced by Bernard Harcourt, a young Harvard grad.

Stevenson debates whether to go more public with Walter’s case. On one hand, Walter is being unfairly maligned, and the public has a right to know what a good person he is, how innocent he is. They also deserve to know about the abuses of power that have taken place. On the other hand, seeking media attention would open EJI up to defamation suits from Sherriff Tate and others. Stevenson decides to take the chance. He does interviews with The Washington Post and 60 Minutes as he files his appeal with the Court of Appeals. There is immediate backlash from the local white community, but the black community is “thrilled to see honest coverage of the case” (212). DA Chapman, suddenly swayed by what he reads in the media coverage, secretly opens a new investigation into the case from his side. This creates a domino effect in which Bill Hooks recants his testimony and a new potential suspect is identified. Six weeks later, the Court of Appeals invalidates Walter’s conviction and death sentence. Stevenson rushes to the prison to tell Walter, who reflects, for the first time, on all the time he has lost in prison. Walter is released as a free man the very next day.

Chapter 12 Summary: Mother, Mother

In this chapter, Stevenson highlights women on death row or sentenced to life in prison and the unique challenges they face based on their gender. The first case is that of Marsha Colbey. She was a mother of six living in a FEMA trailer and pregnant with a seventh (unplanned) child. Without insurance, money, or transportation for prenatal care or a hospital delivery, she gave birth at home. The baby was stillborn. Marsha buried him in the backyard, but this was soon discovered. The baby was exhumed and Marsha was charged with murder, as the medical examiner mistakenly concluded the baby had been born alive. She was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

At Tutwiler State Prison, Marsha was incarcerated with thousands of other women, most of them mothers. Some, just like her, had been convicted of murder after a stillbirth, imprisoned “for having unplanned pregnancies and bad judgment” (237). Tutwiler is dangerous for women—they are raped and harassed by male guards. With Stevenson and EJI’s help, Marsha sentence is overturned and she is released after ten years of wrongful imprisonment. She is reunited with her children—one daughter clings to her, unable to let go even for a second.

Chapter 13 Summary: Recovery

After Walter is released, news of his story spreads. He is profiled in The New York Times. His conviction and eventual release are featured in Circumstantial Evidence, a book about the American justice system. Walter and Stevenson travel the country speaking about the case, and though Stevenson is frustrated by the inane questions and comments they receive (such as that Walter’s eventual release only proves the justice system works) Walter continues on with “good humor, intelligence, and sincerity” (243). And yet, Walter is obviously damaged by his experiences. He has nightmares and grieves for his friends still behind bars. He receives no money in compensation for his ordeal, as per Alabama law at that time. Sherriff Tate continues to tell people Walter is guilty.

After a bitter, long-fought battle for civil compensation, Walter is awarded a small sum. Sherriff Tate is—as of the book’s publication—still sheriff. After an accident, Walter takes on less physically demanding work. Stevenson starts teaching at NYU Law, and Walter is a frequent guest. But Walter’s health is beginning to deteriorate—he is often confused and forgetful. During one interview with Swedish press, he becomes “uncharacteristically emotional” (254) and breaks down in sobs.

Chapters 11-13 Analysis

One major theme within this section is the role of media in demanding justice. Trials are often closed to local and national journalists, and few trials even warrant large media coverage. Stevenson is initially resistant to take Walter’s case to the national media, who will surely jump on the story. He knows that publications such as The New York Times and The Washington Post will be seen as Yankee infiltrators by the Monroeville residents, who are understandably hostile toward outsiders telling them about their own home. And yet, Stevenson chooses to take the gamble. His worries are well-founded, as local media heavily criticizes the national media’s take on Walter’s trial. The black community, however, is relieved to see honest reporting of the case, for once. This presents an interesting dilemma—who has the right to report on cases like these? While national media was certainly favorable toward Walter, northern reporters are unlikely to grasp the full context of the situation. Local news would have greater context, but also greater bias. In the end, national, Northern media simply has more influence and reach. Their coverage spurs local authorities to reconsider their stance on the case. The national media coverage, despite any faults, is instrumental in freeing Walter. And once he is free, that same national media is instrumental in publicizing the real stories of wrongful conviction. Walter is generous with his time and tells his story over and over. He gives wrongful conviction a human face—even to his own detriment, as seen in the incident with the Swedish press. And yet, despite the reach and the audience of the national media, they remain unable to infiltrate Monroeville itself. Sherriff Tate is publicly, nationally branded a racist and liar, but is reelected to his post over and over. The effect of the national media is wide, but it is not always deep, and it cannot always change the hearts and minds of the very people on which it reports.