The Innocent Man – Book Review
- Book Name – The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town
- Author – John Grisham
- Pages – 368
- Publishers – Arrow Books
- Price (India): 188 INR
A first-time attempt for John Grisham on Non-fictions. This is the first time, he is experimenting his non-fiction side, which came out very well. This is a real life story of an innocent man in a small town, Ada.
A brief overview of the story – an innocent man Ron Willamson (fondly called as Ronnie) was committed to a crime, which he did not perform and charged with death penalty. The case stretches to 20 years and finally did he get convicted or not…well you need to read the book to know this 
But some news were really shocking, especially how innocent people were made as scapegoats by crooked policemen, just to save themselves.
When the case was tried first, the only test available was hair-matching test, which was not reliable. Ron got charged based on the hair test and after 20 years, with advancements in technology, the DNA test came alive and Ron got his hair and saliva tested for the same.
This shows how technology has helped a lot for the mankind.
Ron and John Grisham, both lived in the same town. John wanted to write this novel for a long time (since 2000) and spend almost six years collecting the materials from different sources. Well the wait was worth every penny
Do read his short interview here.
It is a very good book to read, if you want to realize how many innocent victims are easily convicted and still there are lotsa people who are innocent and serving death row in different parts of the country.
Some of the incidents, matches exactly with what happens in India too. Policeman charging innocent people, just to close the case, coz of pressure/orders from so called HIGH LEVEL.
But then how many innocent people can afford for a lawyer and DNA tests? How many of them take it for granted as a fate and succumb to it? How many of them know that such a test exist? Well, there are lotsa questions, that are left unanswered 
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I am a huge J.G. fan, let me state that from the outset.
I found myself trying to find out everything about the characters straight after I finished the book.
I then decided to check out what Bill Peterson was doing these days and came across the Ada City web site.
Bill Peterson has a link there stating his case and answers all J.G’s inaccuracies in the book.
I am still a massive J.G fan but I have now relabeled the book a fiction book.
If you are interested to read the facts on this case, go to …
http://www.billpetersondistrictattorney.com/
It will not stop me feeling for those on death row and nor will it stop me reading J.G books, but I think his research on this book was utterly shocking.
It is bordering on an insult to those who do things the right way with law and order in towns like Ada.
oh well… he can tell the story how he likes, he is a writer, and we love him for it.
Neil.