Memoirs of an Innocent Man
Memoirs of an Innocent Man

Author: Ray Spencer

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Published: 2017-02-04

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 9781539408024

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Two hundred twelve years is a long time. In the past 212 years, the automobile and the Internet were invented, two world wars were fought, and America separated and reunited once again. Two hundred twelve years was the sentence Dr. Ray Spencer was looking at when he entered prison. This would be a significant burden for anyone, but for Spencer, it was unbearable. He had received this sentence for a crime he did not commit. He would be locked up until the end of his life for absolutely no just reason. Worse still, Spencer was a law-enforcement officer. He would immediately be targeted by other prisoners for his perceived ties to the system that was punishing them all. Rather than ask to be placed in protective custody, Spencer chose to remain with the general population. For the next twenty years, he hid his law-enforcement identity from the other inmates. Spending every day fearing for his life, Spencer recalls in Memoirs of an Innocent Man the many near misses, outrages, and surprises of daily prison life. Can he get away with the deception forever? Find out in this shocking memoir with an absolutely unforgettable ending.

Getting Life
Getting Life

Author: Michael Morton

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2014-07-08

Total Pages: 304

ISBN-13: 1476756848

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

“A devastating and infuriating book, more astonishing than any legal thriller by John Grisham” (The New York Times) about a young father who spent twenty-five years in prison for a crime he did not commit…and his eventual exoneration and return to life as a free man. On August 13, 1986, just one day after his thirty-second birthday, Michael Morton went to work at his usual time. By the end of the day, his wife Christine had been savagely bludgeoned to death in the couple’s bed—and the Williamson County Sherriff’s office in Texas wasted no time in pinning her murder on Michael, despite an absolute lack of physical evidence. Michael was swiftly sentenced to life in prison for a crime he had not committed. He mourned his wife from a prison cell. He lost all contact with their son. Life, as he knew it, was over. Drawing on his recollections, court transcripts, and more than 1,000 pages of personal journals he wrote in prison, Michael recounts the hidden police reports about an unidentified van parked near his house that were never pursued; the bandana with the killer’s DNA on it, that was never introduced in court; the call from a neighboring county reporting the attempted use of his wife’s credit card, which was never followed up on; and ultimately, how he battled his way through the darkness to become a free man once again. “Even for readers who may feel practically jaded about stories of injustice in Texas—even those who followed this case closely in the press—could do themselves a favor by picking up Michael Morton’s new memoir…It is extremely well-written [and] insightful” (The Austin Chronicle). Getting Life is an extraordinary story of unfathomable tragedy, grave injustice, and the strength and courage it takes to find forgiveness.

Ghost of the Innocent Man
Ghost of the Innocent Man

Author: Benjamin Rachlin

Publisher: Back Bay Books

Published: 2018-08-21

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780316311502

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

One of the Best Books of 2017: National Public Radio, San Francisco Chronicle, Library Journal, Shelf Awareness "Remarkable . . . Captivating . . . Rachlin is a skilled storyteller." --New York Times Book Review "A gripping legal-thriller mystery . . . Profoundly elevates good-cause advocacy to greater heights--to where innocent lives are saved." --USA Today "A crisply written page turner." --NPR A gripping account of one man's long road to freedom that will forever change how we understand our criminal justice system During the last three decades, more than two thousand American citizens have been wrongfully convicted. Ghost of the Innocent Man brings us one of the most dramatic of those cases and provides the clearest picture yet of the national scourge of wrongful conviction and of the opportunity for meaningful reform. When the final gavel clapped in a rural southern courtroom in the summer of 1988, Willie J. Grimes, a gentle spirit with no record of violence, was shocked and devastated to be convicted of first-degree rape and sentenced to life imprisonment. Here is the story of this everyman and his extraordinary quarter-century-long journey to freedom, told in breathtaking and sympathetic detail, from the botched evidence and suspect testimony that led to his incarceration to the tireless efforts to prove his innocence and the identity of the true perpetrator. These were spearheaded by his relentless champion, Christine Mumma, a cofounder of North Carolina's Innocence Inquiry Commission. That commission--unprecedented at its inception in 2006--remains a model organization unlike any other in the country, and one now responsible for a growing number of exonerations. With meticulous, prismatic research and pulse-quickening prose, Benjamin Rachlin presents one man's tragedy and triumph. The jarring and unsettling truth is that the story of Willie J. Grimes, for all its outrage, dignity, and grace, is not a unique travesty. But through the harrowing and suspenseful account of one life, told from the inside, we experience the full horror of wrongful conviction on a national scale. Ghost of the Innocent Man is both rare and essential, a masterwork of empathy. The book offers a profound reckoning not only with the shortcomings of our criminal justice system but also with its possibilities for redemption.

Confessions of an Innocent Man
Confessions of an Innocent Man

Author: David R. Dow

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2020-03-31

Total Pages: 306

ISBN-13: 1524743895

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

“Every person wrongfully convicted of a crime at some point dreams of getting revenge against the system. In Confessions of an Innocent Man, the dream comes true and in a spectacular way.”—John Grisham, New York Times bestselling author of The Reckoning A thrillingly suspenseful debut novel and a fierce howl of rage that questions the true meaning of justice. Rafael Zhettah relishes the simplicity and freedom of his life. He is the owner and head chef of a promising Houston restaurant, a pilot with open access to the boundless Texas horizon, and a bachelor, content with having few personal or material attachments that ground him. Then, lightning strikes. When he finds Tieresse—billionaire, philanthropist, sophisticate, bombshell—sitting at one of his tables, he also finds his soul mate and his life starts again. And just as fast, when she is brutally murdered in their home, when he is convicted of the crime, when he is sentenced to die, it is all ripped away. But for Rafael Zhettah, death row is not the end. It is only the beginning. Now, with his recaptured freedom, he will stop at nothing to deliver justice to those who stole everything from him. This is a heart-stoppingly suspenseful, devastating, page-turning debut novel. A thriller with a relentless grip that wants you to read it in one sitting. David R. Dow has dedicated his life to the fight against capital punishment—to righting the horrific injustices of the death penalty regime in Texas. He delivers the perfect modern parable for exploring our complex, uneasy relationships with punishment and reparation in a terribly unjust world.

The Sun Does Shine
The Sun Does Shine

Author: Anthony Ray Hinton

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Published: 2018-03-27

Total Pages: 270

ISBN-13: 1250124719

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"A powerful, revealing story of hope, love, justice, and the power of reading by a man who spent thirty years on death row for a crime he didn't commit"--

The Memoirs of an Innocent Man
The Memoirs of an Innocent Man

Author: Derrick Hazelwood

Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

Published: 2022-08-01

Total Pages: 101

ISBN-13: 1641142154

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

You are about to embark on a journey of love, deceit, betrayal, and faith, which will have you on the edge of your seat. Now that I have your attention, let me ask you a question: When faced with egregious tests, how do you react? The answer for most people would be that they don't know until they are put in the situation. This was also the answer for Damien in this story. When accused of murder, his reaction changed his life forever. Choosing the path of God and faith put in motion a testimony to glorify God and demonstrated his absolute power. There is a saying which goes, "God does not give us more than we can bear." We will see in the story when Damien's burdens get too heavy God lightens the load. This story reflects on Damien's mental, emotion, physical, and spiritual growth while he faced tragedy and persecution. Throughout the journey, you will witness how faith in God during horrific times in life can change a person's perspective.

From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant
From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant

Author: Alex Gilvarry

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2012-01-05

Total Pages: 206

ISBN-13: 1101554312

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The critically acclaimed debut from Alex Gilvarry, a darkly comic love letter to New York, told through the eyes of Boy Hernandez: Filipino immigrant, glamour junkie, Guantánamo detainee. Alex Gilvarry's widely acclaimed first novel is the story of designer Boy Hernandez: Filipino immigrant, New York glamour junkie, Guantánamo detainee. Locked away indefinitely and accused of being linked to a terrorist plot, Boy prepares for the tribunal of his life with this intimate confession, a dazzling swirl of soirees, runways, and hipster romance that charts one small man's undying love for New York City and his pursuit of the big American dream—even as the present nightmare of detainment chisels away at his vital wit and chutzpah. A New York Times Editor's Choice, From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant unveils two of America's most illusory realms—high fashion and Homeland Security—in a funny, wise, and beguiling, and Kafkaesque tale for our strange times.

Waiting to Be Heard
Waiting to Be Heard

Author: Amanda Knox

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: 2013-04-30

Total Pages: 231

ISBN-13: 0062217224

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Amanda Knox spent four years in a foreign prison for a crime she did not commit, as seen in the Nexflix documentary Amanda Knox. In the fall of 2007, the 20-year-old college coed left Seattle to study abroad in Italy, but her life was shattered when her roommate was murdered in their apartment. After a controversial trial, Amanda was convicted and imprisoned. But in 2011, an appeals court overturned the decision and vacated the murder charge. Free at last, she returned home to the U.S., where she has remained silent, until now. Filled with details first recorded in the journals Knox kept while in Italy, Waiting to Be Heard is a remarkable story of innocence, resilience, and courage, and of one young woman’s hard-fought battle to overcome injustice and win the freedom she deserved. With intelligence, grace, and candor, Amanda Knox tells the full story of her harrowing ordeal in Italy—a labyrinthine nightmare of crime and punishment, innocence and vindication—and of the unwavering support of family and friends who tirelessly worked to help her win her freedom. Waiting to Be Heard includes 24 pages of color photographs.

When Truth Is All You Have
When Truth Is All You Have

Author: Jim McCloskey

Publisher: Anchor

Published: 2020-07-14

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 0385545045

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

“A riveting and infuriating examination of criminal prosecutions, revealing how easy it is to convict the wrong person and how nearly impossible it is to undo the error.” —Washington Post "No one has illuminated this problem more thoughtfully and persistently." —Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy Jim McCloskey was at a midlife crossroads when he met the man who would change his life. A former management consultant, McCloskey had grown disenchanted with the business world; he enrolled at Princeton Theological Seminary at the age of 37. His first assignment, in 1980, was as a chaplain at Trenton State Prison. Among the inmates was Jorge de los Santos, a heroin addict who'd been convicted of murder years earlier. He swore to McCloskey that he was innocent—and, over time, McCloskey came to believe him. With no legal or investigative training to speak of, McCloskey threw himself into the case. Two years later, thanks to those efforts, Jorge de los Santos walked free, fully exonerated. McCloskey had found his calling. He established Centurion Ministries, the first group in America devoted to overturning wrongful convictions. Together with his staff and a team of forensic experts, lawyers, and volunteers—through tireless investigation and an unflagging dedication to justice—Centurion has freed 65 innocent prisoners who had been sentenced to life or death. When Truth Is All You Have is McCloskey's inspirational story, as well as those of the unjustly imprisoned for whom he has fought. Spanning the nation, it is a chronicle of faith and doubt; of triumphant success and shattering failure. It candidly exposes a life of searching and struggle, uplifted by McCloskey's certainty that he had found what he was put on earth to do. Filled with generosity, humor, and compassion, it is the soul-bearing account of a man who has redeemed innumerable lives—and incited a movement—with nothing more than his unshakeable belief in the truth.

Convicted
Convicted

Author: Jameel Zookie McGee

Publisher: WaterBrook

Published: 2017-09-19

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 0735290733

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

WINNER OF THE CHRISTOPHER BOOK AWARD • “A must-read for anyone who longs for the day when the dividing lines of race, class, and bigotry are finally overcome by the greater forces of love, forgiveness, and brotherhood.”—Rev. Samuel Rodriguez Racial tensions had long simmered in Benton Harbor, a small city on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, before the day a white narcotics officer—more focused on arrests than justice—set his sights on an innocent black man. But when officer Andrew Collins framed Jameel McGee for possession of crack cocaine, the surprising result was not a race riot but a transformative journey for both men. Falsely convicted, McGee spent three years in federal prison. Collins also went to prison a few years later for falsifying police reports. While behind bars, the faith of both men deepened. But the story took its most unexpected turn once they were released—when their lives collided again in a moment brimming with mistrust and anger. The two were on a collision course—not to violence—but forgiveness. As current as today’s headlines, this explosive true story reveals how these radically conflicted men chose to let go of fear and a thirst for revenge to pursue reconciliation for themselves, their community, and our racially divided nation.