Just Mercy: Chapter 13 Summary & Analysis

Stevenson describes Walter’s life after his release. Media attention about his case intensifies, and Walter’s story is featured in the book Circumstantial Evidence. Stevenson remarks that during the 1990’s, the increasing pace and rate of executions intensified public debate about the death penalty and concern about the possibility of wrongful convictions. Stevenson and Walter travel the country meeting officials and talking about the death penalty. Stevenson describes himself as frequently passionate during these events, but he remarks that Walter’s calm, good-humored way of telling his story was “effective” in winning audience sympathy and indignation about his experiences. Walter and Minnie peacefully separate, and Walter stays a while with his sister in Florida. Walter thinks often about his time and friends on death row, and he can’t understand why, now that his ordeal is over, he is so stricken with horrific memories of death row, particularly of the execution of fellow inmates.

EJI pursues financial compensation for Walter. They seek help from Stevenson’s friend Rob McDuff, a “charming” white southern litigator who’d been effective in other racially charged cases. Stevenson writes that, at the time, few states offered compensation for wrongful imprisonment. Today, only some states offer such provisions. Then, as now, there are restrictions on eligibility and compensation amounts. Stevenson provides examples of how the Supreme Court has upheld laws granting immunity to law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges, even in cases of wrongful imprisonment and suppressed evidence. EJI succeeds in securing a few hundred thousand dollars from each agency responsible for Walter’s conviction. They struggle the most to sue Sheriff Tate, to whom Stevenson refers as the most active and clearly racially-biased contributor. Their lawsuit goes to the Supreme Court, which upholds Tate’s immunity on a technicality. Stevenson writes that Tate remained the Sheriff at the time of the book’s publication.

Walter returns to Monroeville and starts a logging business. The familiar outdoor work gives him a sense of freedom. A logging accident forces Walter to spend months staying with Stevenson and recovering. Walter remains optimistic, and he decides to start a junkyard business so he can still work outside. In 1998, Stevenson and Walter attend a conference in Chicago of former death row inmates. Stevenson writes that, at that time, DNA evidence and the growing abolition movement were generating opposition against the death penalty. Each year, Stevenson brings Walter to the NYU Law School to speak to his students. He writes that the students are always deeply moved to hear Walter’s firsthand account. One year, Walter gets disoriented on his way to NYU and he doesn’t arrive. Walter explains to Stevenson afterwards that things aren’t going well for his business, and they agree to travel together next time.

In 1994, when Republicans took control of Congress, funds supporting death row inmates were cut. Many other legal aid groups in the country shut down, but EJI intensified fundraising among private donors. Stevenson writes that, despite the financial and workload stress, he was excited for EJI to have a growing, dedicated staff that was fighting larger issues like child imprisonment and discrimination against the poor, disabled, and minorities. That year, Sweden awarded EJI the Olof Palme International Human Rights Award. Stevenson was excited because of Sweden’s progressive, rehabilitation-focused criminal justice system. A camera crew came to the U.S. to interview EJI and people they’d represented, including Walter. Discussing the interview over the phone, Walter told Stevenson that he wanted Stevenson to come “hang out” sometime, an unusual request despite how much time they’d spent together.

Stevenson flies out to Sweden to receive the award. He writes about a previous visit to Brazil, where he’d lectured about “unjust treatment of disfavored people.” He writes that, unlike the Brazilians, the Swedish hadn’t seen that kind of discrimination and abuse in their country, so their enthusiastic responses seemed to be motivated by empathy. Stevenson speaks at a Swedish high school. He marvels at how much the students seem to care about injustices against strangers so far away. The students sing a sorrowful song that Stevenson describes as “dissonant” and “transcendent.” He fights tears when he thinks of his mother, a lifelong church musician who has just died months before. At his hotel, he turns on the Swedish news and he sees the report about EJI for the first time. In front of the camera, Walter breaks down in tears as he describes how he “lost everything.” Stevenson is worried and feels it’s time to go home.