John Grisham's novel, The Innocent Man, recounts the life of a man named Ron Williamson. John goes deep into the trial of Williamson and digs to find the deepest details. He writes this novel to inform the public about things that happen far too often in America. With Grisham's use of facts in his story, he lets his audience know exactly what went on in the small town of Ada, Oklahoma and sheds light on Ron's compelling story.

5 years after Debbie Sue Carter was murdered, Ron Williamson was arrested without a reason. With no one to look to, and no money for a decent lawyer, this ex-baseball star was sentenced with the death penalty without any evidence. After 12 years on death row and about five days before his scheduled death, Ron was given another chance. In this gripping nonfiction, many of the injustices in America's justice system are brought to the table and makes anyone who reads it question what really happens behind closed doors.
After reading this novel I have begun to rethink what the death penalty really means, and if it is something that American's should be standing for. Not to say that all of the people on death row deserve to be exonerated, but the definition of a fair trial does deserve to be reexamined. Like so many, Ron had no chance to get the lawyers that would be necessary to win his case, and with the whole town against him, the jury would not give him a chance at a fair trial as well. Once I picked up this novel, I could not put it down. At a time when it would seem the pages would run together, there would be a twist and it would all start again. This book opens my eyes to what it means to be on death row, as well as what it means to be without anything, including your mind.