Just finished reading.......Grisham/Oklahoma

The Innocent Man....by John Grisham.

I think I read on DU that Grisham is a repuke, or at least used to support the Iraq War. Or, there is a good chance that I may have dreamed that fact.

Anyway, it is his first non-fiction book, and it is a must-read for anyone who is adamantly against the death penalty.

Horrifying look at how a mentally ill man from a middle-class family, white, Oklahoman, got caught up in the justice system, sent to death row for years for a crime he did not commit. The justice system as portrayed by Grisham was incompetent, corrupt, and uncaring.....the reader could just imagine someone they know having to go thru the same experience. Grisham had nothing but praise for the Innocence Project (Barry Scheck), who fight to free wrongly convicted prisoners.

It's one of those books that stays with you. Unfortunately. I recommend it for those of you who are always looking for a good read.

Our legal system......don't get involved.

Incredibly well written. I'd rather it was fiction. It pisses me off to no end to think the prosecutor is still in the same job. No doubt Ada, Oklahoma is a stronghold for Senator Inhofe.

I have not started it yet.
However, I believe Grisham is a Democrat.
http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?city=OXFORD&st=MS&last=Grisham&first=John
I live in a town very near and very much like Ada.
We had some issues that might have required some interference with the local law. However, we dealt with them ourselves.
One of my friends who lives in a very progressive part of the country did not understand why we didn't involve the local law.
I couldn't make her understand why you just DON'T get them involved in any aspect of your life unless there is no other choice. Perhaps I will send her this book to make her understand what the law in these parts consists of.
You don't WANT them to know you.
I saw one of our local officers participating in a drug deal with my own eyes. He was in his police car in full uniform.
I know he has a wife who likes "ice". Well known fact.
However, if you think I would tell this to ANYONE of any importance, you are nuts and I am friends with the city manager.

so most of the police are familiar....ex-students, sons/daughters of acquaintences, etc. The problems are the same as you describe for your town. Many of my ex-students describe buying drugs from the cops while in jail, being allowed many liberties that would horrify the citizens. Their pay is outrageously low, so the job attracts the uneducated, the ones who are attracted to having "power." etc etc etc

And yet, and yet....the one time that I needed them in an emergency, they were there.

if Grisham showed how wrongly convicted people are executed in this country because of our inept legal system, how can it be a must-read for people supporting the death penalty?

Did you get something out of the book that I missed?

I am much too literal.

It shows his beliefs about the death penalty through his characters. Very good read.

I love his books even more for that. It shows in his writing.

Just read some of the DUer "Catchawave" journal....Catchawave quotes Grisham about the Iraq War and about George Allen's attempt to portray Jim Webb as poor in character by referencing passages in Webb's books. Seems Grisham was a big supporter of Jim Webb. BTW, go read the journal of Catchawave!

I'm glad I was wrong about Grisham.....have read every one of his books and have enjoyed them all.