Ronda Morrison is an eighteen-year-old white woman who is murdered in a cleaners shop where she works. From a childhood injury, Myers has extensive burns over his face. After participating in group therapy in prison, Myers recants his testimony and Walter is exonerated. Myers is the State's main witness in the trial that finds Walter guilty of Morrison's murder. Ralph Myers is a drug dealer, known criminal, and compulsive liar who invents a story that implicates Walter McMillian in the murder of Ronda Morrison. Tate also uses witness intimidation tactics, and utters racist epithets when arresting Walter. Tate's corruption is evident in the way he uses law enforcement influence to hold Walter and Ralph Myers on death row before their trials. Sheriff Tate, as the sheriff of Monroe Country, is instrumental in carrying out Walter's wrongful conviction. Later in the story, after his exoneration, Walter deteriorates mentally and physically, growing thin and frail. When young, Walter has a beard and is described as attractive-looking. Stevenson is surprised and impressed by Walter's good nature and empathy despite the injustice of being wrongly held on death row. Since Walter has a sullied reputation as an interracial adulterer, investigators are willing to overlook evidence that could prove his innocence. Walter McMillianĪ black man accused of murdering a white woman, Walter McMillian is one of Stevenson's clients. Later, Stevenson founds the Equal Justice Initiative and becomes a leading voice in criminal justice reform. After studying law at Harvard University, Stevenson becomes a defense lawyer for death row prisoners in Alabama. Bryan Stevenson is the memoir's author and first-person narrator.

Just mercy novel