Reread Book Club: Just Mercy
Book: Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption
Author: Bryan Stevenson
Times Read: 2
I reread this book for a book group at my local library recently. Stevenson is an amazing writer who helped to humanize the complex topic of the death penalty. Americans have been programmed to assume that if someone is on death row, they are automatically the worst person ever and deserve to die. In many cases, death row inmates deserve to die, but, as this book points out, it isn’t that simple.
I’m against the death penalty in most cases not because it is cruel and unusual, but because it is unfairly administered. Most people executed are people of color and/or poor people who can’t afford decent counsel. Also, it costs less to keep someone in jail for life than on death row, and a lot of Americans are starting to think this same way.
Maybe when rich white men start to get executed, I might change my mind.
Luckily, for now, HBO is putting out a new documentary about the Equal Justice Initiative and a feature film about the book that is being developed now starring Michael B. Jordan.