Symbols & Themes
What does Mrs. Williams’ statement “I was here” symbolize?
Resilience and the fight for justice.
Who recanted his original testimony during Walter McMillian's Rule 32 trial?
Who is Ralph Myers
What percentage of U.S. jail and prison inmates have a diagnosed mental illness?
Over 50%
What was the court’s ruling after Walter’s Rule 32 hearing?
They ruled against him, refusing to accept Myers’ recantation.
Why was Marsha Colbey arrested?
A neighbor suspected she killed her stillborn baby, and a forensic pathologist wrongfully claimed the baby had been born alive.
What does Walter’s case reveal about racial injustice in the legal system?
That Black men were often wrongfully convicted due to systemic racism and lack of proper legal defense.)
Why were many of Walter’s supporters unable to get into the courtroom on the second day?
White supporters of the State arrived early and filled the seats, while Walter’s supporters had to pass through security with a police dog
Where are there more mentally ill people—prisons or hospitals?
Three times as many in prisons
What major TV program brought national attention to Walter’s case?
60 Minutes
What law passed in Alabama in 2006 criminalized exposing a child to a “dangerous environment”?
A law allowing pregnant women to be prosecuted if any drug use was detected during pregnancy
Why is Stevenson’s interaction with the corrections officer in Chapter 10 significant?
It shows that even those who seem cruel can change when confronted with humanity.
What past trauma made Mrs. Williams afraid to enter the courtroom?
She had been attacked by police dogs during the 1965 Selma protests.
What legal victory did Stevenson achieve for Avery Jenkins?
He won a retrial that removed Jenkins from death row and placed him in a mental health facility.
What did the Alabama Bureau of Investigation find when they reinvestigated Walter’s case?
No proof of his guilt and strong evidence of his innocence.
What percentage of incarcerated women are mothers?
Any guess between 75-80% is correct
What is one key theme throughout Just Mercy that is highlighted in all four chapters?
The importance of perseverance in the fight against injustice.
What surprising move did the State make on the third day of the trial?
They did not put on a rebuttal case.
How did the corrections officer who initially intimidated Stevenson surprise him later?
He showed kindness to Avery Jenkins.
What argument did the prosecution use to dismiss Ralph Myers’ recantation?
They claimed he had been pressured to change his testimony
What types of crimes do most incarcerated women serve time for?
Nonviolent drug offenses and low-level property crimes.
How does Stevenson argue that poverty impacts justice?
Poor people are more likely to be arrested, receive harsher sentences, and struggle to access legal defense.
How many days did Stevenson request for the trial, and how many did the judge actually allow?
Requested 5 days; allowed 2.5 days.
Why does Stevenson argue that mental disabilities are treated differently from physical disabilities?
Because mental disabilities are not as visible, people are quicker to judge rather than offer compassion
How many years did Walter spend on death row before being exonerated?
What law passed in 1996 made life harder for formerly incarcerated women with children?
Welfare reform legislation that banned people with drug convictions from receiving public benefits.