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The Innocent Man

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The Innocent Man

By: John Grisham
Narrated by: Craig Wasson
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About this listen

 John Grisham's first work of nonfiction, published twenty years ago, is still a blistering exploration of small town justice gone terribly awry.

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, he said goodbye to his hometown of Ada and left to pursue his dreams of big league glory.

Six years later he was back, his dreams broken by a bad arm and bad habits-drinking, drugs and women. He began to show signs of mental illness. Unable to keep a job, he moved in with his mother and slept twenty hours a day on her sofa

In 1982, a 21-year-old cocktail waitress in Ada named Debra Sue Carter was raped and murdered, and for five years the police could not solve the crime. For reasons that were never clear, they suspected Ron Williamson and his friend Dennis Fritz. The two were finally arrested in 1987 and charged with capital murder.

With no physical evidence, the prosecution's case was built on junk science and the testimony of jailhouse snitches and convicts. Dennis Fritz was found guilty and given a life sentence. Ron Williamson was sent to death row.

If you believe that in America you are innocent until proven guilty, this book will shock you. If you believe in the death penalty, this book will disturb you. If you believe the criminal justice system is fair, this book will infuriate you.

(P)2006 Random House, LLC©2006 John Grisham Crime Crime Thrillers Suspense Thriller & Suspense Law Murder Mental Health
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5 stars
Its fitting that the first book that I read from a celebrated crime author (one of my favourite genres), is not one of his crime novels, but his only work of non-fiction.

I listened to the audiobook of this book after beginning the Netflix documentary of the same name while home from work sick one day. I became interested in the idea that there were four men who may have been wrongfully convicted in the same small town by the same people based on the same flimsy evidence.

This book is well researched, well written, and well told. I was initially confused as to why Grisham chose to chop and change between the two cases, but it soon becomes clear that this is to highlight the similarities in the police and prosecutorial tactics that were used that made it impossible for these men to have a fair or just trial.

This book has made me want to look more into wrongful convictions, The Innocence Project, Barry Scheck, and the death penalty as it touches on all of these things but not in enough detail.

If you are a beginner looking to get into reading true crime, this is probably a good place to start.

One of the best pieces of true crime I have read recently

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Hard to follow at times. Poor story line, content and at time confusing. Notator very good.

Going no where

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brilliant book loved it all the way through. Fascinating and will keep you wondering how the story will end. Read it; you won't be disappointed.

It keep us fully engaged from beginning to end!

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This is the first non-fiction book I have listened to, I generally listen to fiction especially those written by John Grisham.
It was an interesting listen to learn how the justice system failed so many, how those in power had a suspect/s in mind and they were going to get them no matter whether they were innocent or guilty, how when exonerated there was no apology. I realise it was back in the 1980's/1990's when things were somewhat different to now, but just makes you wonder if the justice system is still failing many suspects.
I would recommend this book if you want a good read or listen.
The narrator in this book had a voice I could listen to for the whole 12 or so hours.

Very Interesting

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Hard to believe that this is a true story, the innocent people who for what ever reason, get caught up in a vicious take of lies and corruption and the perpetrators get away scot free.
Money does buy time or your youth.
It’s about time elected officials are made accountable for their actions instead of hiding behind job titles

The injustice some people have to live with

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