View Full Version : New Grisham book
Okla-homey
10/24/2006, 07:09 AM
"Innocent Man," a non-fictional crime and punishment saga set in Ada, OK.
Pretty good so far.
That is all.
Viking Kitten
10/24/2006, 07:59 AM
That book has been of some discussion around the ol' workplace as of late. I've also heard from Pontotoc County people that nobody "just" gets murdered in Ada. They always get tortured, raped and brutalized in really sadistic and twisted ways before the murder.
NormanPride
10/24/2006, 08:43 AM
Yeah, they don't even charge people for "just" murders in Ada, anymore.
Okla-homey
10/24/2006, 08:50 AM
That book has been of some discussion around the ol' workplace as of late. I've also heard from Pontotoc County people that nobody "just" gets murdered in Ada. They always get tortured, raped and brutalized in really sadistic and twisted ways before the murder.
and catsup bottle caps turn up in the strangest places...:eek:
SoonerAcesUp
10/24/2006, 08:54 AM
"Innocent Man," a non-fictional crime and punishment saga set in Ada, OK.
Pretty good so far.
That is all.
Almost done reading it. It's been a very good book. I didn't know anything about the murders until I started reading it. Highly suggest to read it if you like non-fiction crime books.
Yeah, about maybe six months ago, I was down in Ada for a pretrial conference in front of Judge Landrith. He's the kind of guy that would (and did) call me to see if I minded putting off a trial last fall because his buddy in Houston had them some World Series tickets.
Anyway, Judge Landrith was telling us all about when John Grisham and Barry Scheck came to talk to him about the case. Interesting stuff. We were talking about who would play the judge in the movie.
The guy who actually did it had his conviction reversed on some rather dubious evidentiary grounds. On the retrial, Judge Landrith was going to have to let everything in, which he did, not that it mattered, because the guy got convicted again.
yermom
10/24/2006, 09:50 AM
spoiler tags! :mad:
;)
Okla-homey
10/24/2006, 10:06 AM
spoiler tags! :mad:
;)
Oh, like you actually read books and stuff. ;)
yermom
10/24/2006, 10:10 AM
i'm sure it will be a movie at some point :P
I saw Ron Williamson speak very briefly at an event at Andrews Park in Norman in 1999 or 2000. Williamson seemed a little off, he slurred his words and seemed kind of hyperactive. I feel really bad for the guy.
cofCtuba
10/24/2006, 04:17 PM
the federal judge, Frank Seay who's in the book is from Seminole, his wife was my third grade teacher, I thought that was pretty cool. It was kind of neat to read about people you know in a Grisham book. Grisham is great.
SoonerAcesUp
10/25/2006, 09:40 AM
I saw Ron Williamson speak very briefly at an event at Andrews Park in Norman in 1999 or 2000. Williamson seemed a little off, he slurred his words and seemed kind of hyperactive. I feel really bad for the guy.
Was this at some concert because they talk about him making an appearance in Norman in the book?
Okla-homey
10/25/2006, 09:46 AM
I saw Ron Williamson speak very briefly at an event at Andrews Park in Norman in 1999 or 2000. Williamson seemed a little off, he slurred his words and seemed kind of hyperactive. I feel really bad for the guy.
I guess a stint on death row will do that to a guy.
I guess a stint on death row will do that to a guy.
From what I heard Williamson had some mental issues going back to when he was a young adult. Unfortunately that may have made him more of a target or suspect for the crime.
I believe he also had severe substance abuse problems. Williamson died of cirrhosis a year or two ago I think.
Okla-homey
10/25/2006, 10:08 AM
From what I heard Williamson had some mental issues going back to when he was a young adult. Unfortunately that may have made him more of a target or suspect for the crime.
I believe he also had severe substance abuse problems. Williamson died of cirrhosis a year or two ago I think.
Apparently, he never got over not making it to the majors. He had been an ace and All-World in high school and signed a contract with the "A's" but never came close to breaking out of the minor leagues.
According to Grisham, only about 10% of kids who sign pro. baseball contracts ever get to "The Show."
Was this at some concert because they talk about him making an appearance in Norman in the book?
Yes, the event was a fair or festival of sorts. There were bands playing throughout the day, rides, booths, ect. I don't remember the theme or the "cause" behind the event. There were some other former death row inmates there as well. I was introduced to Ron Wilhoit who had been on death row for killing his wife and later re-tried and acquitted.
SoonerAcesUp
10/25/2006, 10:26 AM
Yes, the event was a fair or festival of sorts. There were bands playing throughout the day, rides, booths, ect. I don't remember the theme or the "cause" behind the event. There were some other former death row inmates there as well. I was introduced to Ron Wilhoit who had been on death row for killing his wife and later re-tried and acquitted.
Greg Wilhoit was the guy's name and I think the event was put on by Amnesty Alliance. That's pretty cool that you were there.
SoonerAcesUp
10/25/2006, 10:32 AM
Apparently, Ron Williamson visited Eastern State Hospital in Vinita several times due to his mental issues. I'm from the Vinita area and recognized several of the names that were mentioned.
Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz served eleven years and prison for a crime they did not commit and never got an apology one from anyone. Sad to see them have to go through what they went through for nothing.
Okla-homey
11/4/2006, 05:11 PM
Having finished the book, I'll say this. If you are capital punishment advocate, you really ought to read this book.
oxley-thompson
12/27/2006, 03:12 PM
Peterson, the DA, still holds that position in Ada. This floored me.
colleyvillesooner
12/27/2006, 03:21 PM
My Dad grew up in Stratford, 15 miles west of Ada. Stratford was so small, that anything major was done in Ada. His dentist was the Father in law of one of the murdered girls. He was having somewhat of a hard time reading it because he had been to about or knows about every place in the book.
SoonerJack
12/27/2006, 06:37 PM
Colleyville, my dad's optometry office was next door to Krista Haraway's dad's dentist office. Her brother was my best friend in kindergarten. It is very strange to read about people you knew/know and places you used to hang out at (not the Coachlight) in a book about horrible crimes.
I got Innocent Man for Christmas and just started it yesterday. Good so far. My old scoutmaster was the coroner.
I miss Stratford peaches, by the way.
soonerboomer93
12/27/2006, 08:10 PM
I got it for Christmas also
Probably start reading it when I get back to Korea, but it's in the book stack right now
Okla-homey
12/27/2006, 08:21 PM
Peterson, the DA, still holds that position in Ada. This floored me.\
The electorate is responsible of course. Perhaps they dig him for other reasons, but if Grisham got it even half-right, it would be scary to live in that town with a guy like that wielding the sword of state.
colleyvillesooner
12/27/2006, 08:22 PM
I miss Stratford peaches, by the way.
My Grandpa still lives there and we get a TON every year. They're the best.
StoopTroup
12/27/2006, 08:41 PM
Homey...
Is there anyway you could post the last couple of chapters...
I can't find the book I got...
I bet it went out with the wrapping paper in todays trash...
Okla-homey
12/27/2006, 09:03 PM
Homey...
Is there anyway you could post the last couple of chapters...
I can't find the book I got...
I bet it went out with the wrapping paper in todays trash...
Wait for the movie. ;)
George Clooney bought the rights just before Christmas. Seriously.
SouthFortySooner
1/16/2007, 11:55 PM
Larry Cartmell the ME in Ada at the time of the murders had a son who was a member of the "fried five", (Tarman Tower 5th floor) with me and uh 2 or 3 other guys.
TopDaugIn2000
1/17/2007, 07:54 AM
I just started the Grisham novels. Finished "A time to Kill" the other day, moving on to "The Firm"
SoonerJack
1/17/2007, 09:15 AM
Larry Cartmell the ME in Ada at the time of the murders had a son who was a member of the "fried five", (Tarman Tower 5th floor) with me and uh 2 or 3 other guys.
Was it Kendall or Mitchell? I have a guess.
Viking Kitten
2/13/2007, 03:47 PM
Pontotoc County D.A. tells his side of the story (http://www.billpetersondistrictattorney.com/)
Hamhock
2/13/2007, 03:53 PM
Having finished the book, I'll say this. If you are capital punishment advocate, you really ought to read this book.
If your public defender is blind, you know it's going to be a bad day.
Grisham did another book that had me seriously thinking about my stance on the death penalty. about the old guy that bombed the church...The Chamber?
Grisham glossed over a few of the details that had me scratching my head. He seemed a little biased.
FaninAma
2/13/2007, 06:00 PM
Yeah, about maybe six months ago, I was down in Ada for a pretrial conference in front of Judge Landrith. He's the kind of guy that would (and did) call me to see if I minded putting off a trial last fall because his buddy in Houston had them some World Series tickets.
Anyway, Judge Landrith was telling us all about when John Grisham and Barry Scheck came to talk to him about the case. Interesting stuff. We were talking about who would play the judge in the movie.
The guy who actually did it had his conviction reversed on some rather dubious evidentiary grounds. On the retrial, Judge Landrith was going to have to let everything in, which he did, not that it mattered, because the guy got convicted again.
Yes, he was retried and reconvicted but didn't get the death penalty.
The Ada DA screwed up but it wasn't as blatant as it was presented by Grisham.
Ron Williamson was a certified loon scumbag. There's pretty solid evidence (including his own confession) that he committed two rapes in Tulsa in which the cases were thrown out because of technicalities.
So I wouldn't exactly call him an innocent man.
FaninAma
2/13/2007, 06:03 PM
\
The electorate is responsible of course. Perhaps they dig him for other reasons, but if Grisham got it even half-right, it would be scary to live in that town with a guy like that wielding the sword of state.
Not scarey at all. In fact the police force here is much friendlier than the police force of previous towns and cities I have lived in.
Hamhock
2/13/2007, 06:45 PM
Ron Williamson was a certified loon scumbag. There's pretty solid evidence (including his own confession) that he committed two rapes in Tulsa in which the cases were thrown out because of technicalities.
that's one of the details i was talking about.
grisham presents it as though he and some chick met in passing at a quiktrip, then decided to go around back and play sink the submarine.
47straight
2/13/2007, 11:56 PM
that's one of the details i was talking about.
grisham presents it as though he and some chick met in passing at a quiktrip, then decided to go around back and play sink the submarine.
Either way, Ron Williamson was only 1 of the 2 people wrongly convicted for the murder. The other dude was unquestionably an innocent man. And that is the title of the book.
mdklatt
2/14/2007, 12:03 AM
Having finished the book, I'll say this. If you are capital punishment advocate, you really ought to read this book.
I'm not against the death penalty per se, but the execution of even one innocent person is unacceptable. Even if it didn't happen in this case, it's a statistical certainty that it's happened before and will happen again.
olevetonahill
2/14/2007, 12:10 AM
A few yrs ago I met a guy who had had his death sentence overturned and he was freed. he travel aroud giving anti death speechs and stuff .
Today ? Oh, he again a guest of the State Prison system :D
****ing loser
SoonerTerry
2/14/2007, 06:22 AM
Pontotoc County D.A. tells his side of the story (http://www.billpetersondistrictattorney.com/)
IF you read the book then you should read this.
whatsername
2/14/2007, 07:23 AM
Pontotoc County D.A. tells his side of the story (http://www.billpetersondistrictattorney.com/)
Ooh. Looks interesting from what I just skimmed so far. Can't wait until I get the time to read it all.
I read Grisham's book about a month ago or so. Very interesting reading. But honestly, I'd be surprised if there wasn't a slant. If Grisham was pro-death penalty, he wouldn't have even written the book in the first place.
The facts are seldom presented in an even manner in these stories and arguments of innocence. The emotional appeal is far greater and the story more compelling to portray the Defendant as clean as the driven snow and the Prosecutor as incompetent or evil. Seldom is life that simple.
I know a former prosecutor who is/was very hard core crime and punishment. He once told me his greatest fear was convicting an innocent man (not losing a case). That when he had restless nights or doubts these were the concerns he pondered. These are the private fears of a public servant with a difficult and thankless duty who is expected to be tough and even heartless in the pursuit of "justice". I would say though that based on my friend's public persona he would make a good villein for a book if one of his cases turned out to be an erroneous conviction.
Sooner5030
2/14/2007, 08:06 AM
I just finished the book and thought it was a pretty good read. Kinda deppressing and reminded me how perception can be more important than reality.
I don't care if RW was a dirtbag and did other things. The fact is he didn't commit the crime that Peterson alleged and prosecuted. They took 11 years of that man's life away and away from his family. The worst part is that he had little or no recourse to the major players.
I would like to know how the jurors felt after he was cleared.
soonerbrat
10/13/2009, 12:47 PM
John Grisham will be at OCU tonight talking about this
Viking Kitten
10/13/2009, 01:58 PM
More info about the event at OCU tonight. (http://www.okcu.edu/law/blog/index.php/2009/09/17/bestselling-author-john-grisham-to-visit-oklahoma-city-university-school-of-law-for-special-event-on-october-13/)
I'm going to this... was told to get their early, they are expecting an overflow crowd.
soonerbrat
10/14/2009, 12:52 PM
so what'd you think? the acting in the plays was kinda boring to me..and i looked that woman up on wiki, she wasn't as innocent as the writer of the play would have you believe.
Viking Kitten
10/14/2009, 03:53 PM
I found that that part of the evening extremely annoying. I hate theater students. Probably because I was once one of them. I couldn't stand the super-dramatic chick who over-enunciated everything in the first part of the play. I couldn't even follow the second part of it. He was all, "Jesus! Make the rain stop!" I'm all, "WTF is he talking about?"
Grisham was a good speaker though. Met him in person yesterday, thought he was a bit of a prima donna. But I'm glad he's talking about it. I don't think prosecutors should act like dicks.
What did you think of Vicki Behenna's story?
soonerbrat
10/15/2009, 12:15 PM
yes, that girl was super annoying. which one was Vicki Behenna? the mom of the soldier?
soonerbrat
10/15/2009, 12:23 PM
ah yes, i'm looking at the son's website right now. I'm not sure how I feel about it...not sure why he was interrogating the guy again, was he ordered to do that?
John Kochtoston
10/15/2009, 07:31 PM
I know a former prosecutor who is/was very hard core crime and punishment. He once told me his greatest fear was convicting an innocent man (not losing a case). That when he had restless nights or doubts these were the concerns he pondered. These are the private fears of a public servant with a difficult and thankless duty who is expected to be tough and even heartless in the pursuit of "justice". I would say though that based on my friend's public persona he would make a good villein for a book if one of his cases turned out to be an erroneous conviction.
I firmly believe 99% of prosecutors, police, etc. are just as you describe, at least as far as their greatest fear being successfully prosecuting or arresting an innocent person. It's for the other 1% we have the constitutional protections some like to refer to as "technicalities" or "loopholes."
Kochtoston, I would not be so generous as to say 99% of prosecutors and law enforcement officers act in good fatih in the performance of their duties. I believe most however do. Then again you have Bob Macy's office.
I haven't read Grisham's book. I did see Ron Williamson and Dennis Whathisname in person at Andrews Park in Norman. Williamson was no doubt a little off mentally or addled by alcohol.
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