Just Mercy

Stevenson, a black man, uses Walter McMillian’s story, other cases, and his own experiences to paint a vivid picture of what institutionalized racism looks like in modern America. Walter’s case involves clear instances of racism. He is first targeted by law enforcement due to his affair with a white woman. During interrogation, Sherriff Tate spews racial slurs at Walter and alludes to a horrifyingly recent lynching of a black man in Mobile, Alabama. This has the desired effect—“Walter was terrified” (48). Walter’s trial is moved from a diverse area to a much whiter county so that there will be fewer available black jurors. As Stevenson mentions, “nearly everyone on death row had been tried by an all-white or nearly all-white jury” (60). The actions of white people involved in Walter’s case—the sheriff, the judges, and the jury—were informed by racial prejudices. This racism institutionalized within the criminal justice system contributed to Walter’s wrongful conviction.

The majority of Stevenson’s mentioned clients are black. One client is convicted based on the testimony of a white witness who cannot tell three different black boys apart. Many have similar stories of being found guilty by all-white juries—juries that were hand-picked to be all-white.