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CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

Book Review: Just Mercy: A True Story of The Fight for Justice 
by Bryan Stevenson 

Emely Gavini 
Department of Sociology 

California State University, Los Angeles 
 

Imagine having to spend 6 years in prison for a crime you 
did not commit. Now imagine being executed on death row for a 
crime you did not commit. The true story of Walter McMillian and 
other innocent people of color on death row would infuriate 
anyone who truly supports justice being served. McMillian’s 
lawyer, Bryan Stevenson, released over 140 wrongfully convicted 
prisoners on death row. Walter’s story in the 2015 book Just 
Mercy: A True Story of the Fight for Justice is just a mere glimpse 
of what Bryan Stevenson’s time as a lawyer truly entailed. 

The author, Bryan Stevenson, is an American lawyer, 
social justice activist, and law professor at New York University 
School of Law. He is also the founder and executive director of 
the Equal Justice Initiative. He is not only brilliant for the way he 
authors the book Just Mercy, captivating the readers with 
diligence, but also for how he advocates for the people he 
represented in court and what the people he represented did for 
him unknowingly. The author is ingenious for not only serving 
imprisoned men without being paid a penny by the families but 
also for spreading the word on the injustices he had to face as a 
Black man himself back in Alabama in the late 1980s. Publishing 
his memoir out there was the best decision he could have made to 
raise awareness about these injustices and the fulfillment of 
serving justice for the underrepresented and wrongfully convicted. 
The book has several strengths, beginning with its advocacy for 
the truth. People often like to turn away from the truth because it 
can be ugly and horrendous, and no one wants to recognize it so 
that they can continue living comfortably. However, as we learn 
from this story, the truth will also save lives, and there is no limit 
to advocacy when it is the truth. If there is anything to learn about 
this book, it would be patience and perseverance to find what is 
right.  

The criminal justice system at the time of this story failed 
so many people of color, especially Black men. The book Just 



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CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

Mercy begins with the story of Walter McMillian in 1987 when he 
was arrested and convicted to death row for murdering an 18-year-
old white woman. Yet, Walter was nowhere near the place of the 
crime when it occurred. Unfortunately, during the time of the 
crime, Black people were afraid to speak up to authorities because 
of the consequences it would bring to them and their families. 
Instead of fighting the allegations, Walter McMillian knew that his 
fate was set as it came down to his word vs. a white man’s word. 
During the time that Walter was awaiting his execution, we 
learned of the injustices that had also been pinned on other people 
of color just like Walter. Other innocent men of color who also had 
just accepted their fate on death row simply because they never 
had hope to begin with. As a Black man himself, Bryan Stevenson 
saw himself in his clients. The frustration imposed on him by the 
judicial system inspired him, even more, to give some sense of 
hope to the innocent, as well as simply stating the truth and 
advocating for them since they were poorly represented at the time 
of their initial conviction. 

The book proceeds through a series of stories that begin 
with the author experiencing his first execution of one of his 
clients, Herbert Richardson, by electric chair for a crime that he 
did not commit. In all of Stevenson’s best efforts, he could not 
stop Herbert’s execution. Stevenson’s experience with Herbert 
made him even more determined to get the resources to help the 
following clients he represented in the following years. 
Throughout the book, Stevenson faces discrimination for the color 
of his skin, and he faces racism simply for supporting his own 
race. Stevenson’s partner and ally, Eva Ansley, faces threats as 
well, especially since she was a white woman collaborating with 
a Black man to get wrongfully convicted felons of color on death 
row released. She stood by Stevenson as a white woman who was 
also tired of the discrimination she was forced to be surrounded 
by every day. For the underrepresented Black community, it was 
the entire world against their own words. They are surrounded by 
corrupt officers who are in it out of loyalty to their corrupted 
leaders who dictate what to do, or they will kill their families or 
put them in jail, too. 

It is people like Bryan Stevenson who give the world hope 
in a dark place that seems almost hopeless. Stevenson’s equal 



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CALIFORNIA SOCIOLOGY FORUM VOL. 6 

justice initiative in Alabama brought a small amount of reform 
into an entire country that was corrupt. It, of course, took the help 
of Stevenson’s allies, who made everything possible. Advocacy is 
an especially important theme in this story as Stevenson advocates 
for others who inspire him to learn more about himself. This 
represents how important it is to stand together to spread the truth. 
Spreading awareness in the original time that the events occurred 
seemed almost impossible, as people of color were afraid to stand 
up for themselves, let alone for others. Resistance is also a 
particularly important theme, as Stevenson’s resistance to the way 
the system was functioning saved so many lives. Unfortunately, 
these themes highlight a very dark history that has now led to mass 
incarceration simply because of prejudices. 

Just Mercy is a gripping story – simple, suspenseful, 
upsetting, and fulfilling all in one. Walter’s story moves the 
audience in a way that makes one question their life choices – even 
when innocent. That is what corruption can do to a man: change 
you, make you believe that you are the problem, and belittle you 
to the point where you are afraid to speak up for what’s right, even 
if a person’s life is at stake. These real-life events reminded us that 
racism is an issue that started long ago and is still practiced today. 
As people try to justify it, it is important to advocate for one 
another, especially for the truth. The significance behind the story 
is of extremely high importance as it advocates for justice being 
served. 
 

REFERENCES 
Stevenson, Bryan. 2015. Just Mercy: A True Story of the Fight for Justice. New York: 

Spiegel & Grau. 
 
 
Emely Gavini Mendez (She/Her/Ella) is a Sociology, MA Graduate student 
at Cal State LA. She attended San Bernardino Valley College and received 
four Associates Degrees: Administration of Justice, Humanities and Fine 
Arts, Social and Behavioral Sciences and Sociology. She proudly transferred 
over to Cal State LA and pursued her B.A. degree in Sociology and 
graduated in less than two years. Emely’s final Thesis project focuses on 
family dynamics and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected those 
dynamics. Emely will be graduating with her M.A. degree in Sociology 
during May 2024 as a proud published student on the CSF Editorial Board 
in hopes to continue her passion for writing. 


	Book Review: Just Mercy: A True Story of The Fight for Justice by Bryan Stevenson - Emely Gavini