I saw a movie over the weekend, and it reminded me why criminal justice reform is, and always will be, such a passion of mine. Just Mercy is a story about a man sentenced to death. He was wrongfully accused, wrongfully convicted and wrongfully incarcerated for several years. Not only was he wrongfully convicted, but he was also sentenced to death. When a jury of his peers chose a life sentence, the judge in Alabama overturned the life sentence and sentenced him to death.
There was a scene in the movie that struck me harder than some. The lawyer, Bryan Stevenson, had to convince his client “Johnnie Dee” to allow him to represent him for free. It was compelling because I’ve had that same conversation hundreds of times throughout my career. As a public defender, my clients don’t choose me. And I can’t choose them. When I’m assigned a case, I introduce myself and shake the client’s hand. I know that I have to earn their respect, and it’s a tall task.
There’s a misconception among the public that public defenders, or ‘state lawyers’ are less than, but we’re often some of the most passionate and studied lawyers in the practice. Bryan Stevenson was starting the Equal Justice Initiative in Alabama. He would go on to change many lives through that initiative. I went to see Just Mercy because I knew it would be a compelling retelling of a tragic story. It’s a story we see all too often in the criminal justice system.
On this MLK day, I want to remember not only how far we’ve come, but also how far we have to go. Stereotypes and stigmas often control how we think, how we vote and whether we care about a certain issue. Wrongful incarceration should matter to everyone. And public perception about criminals has to change before we can convince people that wrongful incarceration still happens.
If you’re convinced that someone is guilty simply because they’ve been arrested, you’re forgetting about the presumption of innocence. If you’re against reasonable accommodations for inmates, you’re forgetting that many inmates are innocent, being held prior to any finding of guilt. If you think innocent people don’t get arrested and accused of crimes, go watch Just Mercy.
tperrynola 