Legal Vocabulary
"The ability of something to produce its intended results"
What is efficacy
The main character who is a defense attorney fighting for justice
What is Bryan Stevenson
How prosecutors typically exclude Black jurors
What is using peremptory challenges to remove Black jurors or move the trial to a white county
The Supreme Court case prohibiting execution of intellectually disabled individuals
What is Atkins v. Virginia
Experience in law school that impacted Stevenson's career
A word meaning "severely and unkindly critical"
The man wrongfully accused of murdering Ronda Morrison
What is Walter McMillian
The county where McMillian's trial was moved, and why
Details of Michael Lindsey's unusual sentencing
What is the judge overrode the jury's life sentence and sentenced Lindsey to death
Obstacles Stevenson and Ansley faced starting their organization
What is the lack of funding, difficulty recruiting lawyers, community resistance
Term for an emotion so strong it seems physically touchable
What is palpable
The person Stevenson meets during his first visit to death row
What is Henry
Why Myers' testimony about McMillian was suspicious
What is Myers claims McMillian made him drive because he had an injured arm, yet McMillian supposedly drove the truck to where he picked up Myers
Stevenson's approach to discussing executions
What is using emotional and descriptive language to humanize inmates and challenge readers' perceptions
Stevenson's approach to defending seemingly hopeless cases
What is focusing on individual stories, systemic injustices, and human dignity
Word meaning "to make something less harmful or bad"
What is mitigate
The man that Stevenson shared a story about in Chapter 2 that was beaten by the police and died because they did not give him his inhaler
What is Lourida Ruffin
The racial dynamics of jury selection in Southern courts
What is predominantly white juries were more likely to convict Black defendents
The psychological experience of inmates on their execution day
What is feelings of isolation, fear, unexpected kindness and profound existential reflection
The impact of Stevenson's law school experiences on his career
What is his experiences exposed him to racial and economic injustices, motivating his career path
Vocabulary term meaning to "consider something within its existing situation"
The traumatized veteran Stevenson uses to represent incarcerated Americans
What is Herbert Richardson
Long-term societal implications of systemic racism in the justice system
What is generational trauma, continued oppression, and perpetuation of racial inequalities in the justice system
Stevenson's philosophical argument about humanity and capital punishment
What is arguing that executions dehumanize both the condemned and society, challenging the notion of justice
The broader social justice mission behind Stevenson's legal work
What is challenging systemic racism, fighting for human rights, and providing legal support to marginalized individuals