Just Mercy: A Story of Justice & Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
Bryan Stevenson, the Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative, has tirelessly spent his legal career fighting for have become victimized by our criminal justice system. In Just Mercy, Stevenson explores some of his most memorable death row cases, and his journey in understanding the potential for mercy to redeem us.
Setting: Monroeville, Alabama.
What I thought of the book:
This was my first book of 2021, and I’m glad I started with this one.
2020 was quite a year for America. We experienced a global pandemic, a resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, and a politically divisive election season. That being so, I wanted to dive into a book that explored the history of our country and perhaps why we are so polarized.
Just Mercy, provided a window into the reality of the United States criminal justice system which ultimately left me heartbroken, but also inspired for a better future-forward. I loved that this was a memoir, as Stevenson could recall specifics of his time arguing on behalf of clients in court, visiting the families of those incarcerated, and managing the conspiracies weaved by southern media outlets. I also appreciated Stevenson diving into topics such as recidivism, income inequality, education, and mental health.
Who should read this book:
One of my favorite books I read in high school English class, was To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Interestingly, this book has quite a few parallels as Walter McMillan and Tom Robinson, are both black men from Alabama who are falsely accused of a crime they didn’t commit. After the success of Lee’s fictional book, Monroeville took pride in being the town that inspired Maycomb, Alabama where Atticus Finch, a white, level-headed lawyer, fought on behalf of Tom Robinson. So when Stevenson arrives in town to fight on behalf of McMillian, he can’t help but be frustrated with the town’s inaccurate portrayal as being champions of anti-racism and law.
If I could make this a required reading for all American citizens, I would. This is an extremely accurate portrayal of the current inequities in American life and our justice system. I think it provides a perspective that a majority of Americans have not considered and as Atticus would say, “you never really know a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”
Favorite Quotes:
“Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.”
“The true measure of our character is how we treat the poor, the disfavored, the accused, the incarcerated, and the condemned.”
“We are all implicated when we allow other people to be mistreated. An absence of compassion can corrupt the decency of a community, a state, a nation. Fear and anger can make us vindictive and abusive, unjust and unfair until we all suffer from the absence of mercy and we condemn ourselves as much as we victimize others. The closer we get to mass incarceration and extreme levels of punishment, the more I believe it's necessary to recognize that we all need mercy, we all need justice, and-perhaps-we all need some measure of unmerited grace.”
“Mercy is most empowering, liberating, and transformative when it is directed at the undeserving. The people who haven’t earned it, who haven’t even sought it, are the most meaningful recipients of our compassion.”
Similar Works to Consider
Books: To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee), The New Jim Crow ( Michelle Alexander)
Films: Just Mercy, The Innocence Files, When They See Us, 13th, Trial 4
Publication Details: Stevenson, Bryan. Just Mercy: a Story of Justice and Redemption. Spiegel & Grau, 2015.
