This mental illness led him to murder a young woman, and as he was opposed to getting the medical help he needed, he was sentenced to death. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. The Best Movies and TV Shows Coming to Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime, and Hulu in March, People Cant Stop Fighting Over the Politics of the, Woody Allen defending himself against molestation charges, hed pocketed more than $110,000 in funds the state paid him to feed inmates, the vicious and brutal killing of a young lady in the first full flower of adulthood, decided to let the State of Alabama execute a man named Brian Baldwin. There are other aspects of Richardsons story where the film diverges from Stevensons book. The intimate scenes with Herberts wife and the image of Herberts family pulling away as they hum the church hymn further humanizes the moment and evokes a sense tragedy. Rena Mae Callins, was the niece of a woman whod been in a relationship with Richardson, The New York Times reported in 1989. Just Mercy is a new film about a lawyer who helps death row inmates who can't afford it. Download on Amazon - The Old Rugged Cross Play on Apple Music . Bottom: Actor Michael B. Jordan as Bryan Stevenson and Jamie Foxx as McMillian. Please? But for all the harm Key did, he wasnt the most frustrating judge in the McMillian affair. Advertisement Herbert Richardson, the Vietnam veteran whose execution Stevenson attends after. So thats what Tate went with, after a search of McMillians truck yielded no marijuanaalthough he had to explain to Walter what the word sodomy meant. "My father, who was an educator for 25 years, they put him in jail for $25 worth of illegal substance," he says. A row of prisoners in their cells bang their cups against the. I don't think that's the right perspective to have. But I found "Just Mercy," from director Destin Daniel Cretton ("Short Term 12"), profoundly moving and, at times, almost unbearably sad, as when Walter's fellow death row inmate, Herbert . Just Mercy follows Stevensons self-portrait in his memoir very closely. Director Destin Daniel Cretton Writers Destin Daniel Cretton Andrew Lanham Bryan Stevenson (based on the book by) Stars Michael B. Jordan Jamie Foxx Brie Larson See production, box office & company info Watch on HBO Max -Graham S. By describing Herberts history of loss, abuse and violence, Stevenson attempts to show Herberts humanity and explain the events that affected his mental health. Baldwin was prosecuted by Theodore Pearson, the same D.A. He maintains that this case is not just about one man being rightfully set free, but also an example that justice is something that is awarded to all people. "That's another issue we're dealing with that's not in this film, but we've got 13 states in America with no minimum age for trying a child as an adult. McMillian's case is just one example of the systemic racial bias that ran rife through America's justice system. He said, 'Hey, hey, hey, hey, you get back out there in the hallway. At a hearing for a new trial, Bryan brings Myers to the stand to question that testimony again. The scene is emotionally distressing, though filmmakers decided not to show Richardson when 1,800 electrical volts were sent through his body. "If you haven't been to the States, you should know when you come to the States; you can be a lawyer here in the UK, you can be a doctor, you can be an educator, but in the States, you're going to be in situations where you're going to have to navigate a presumption of dangerousness and guilt. Scene . How does Stevenson get close to the incarcerated people he is helping? "Herbert Richardson was guilty. You have to get close" (14). All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. When he was sentenced to death, Herbert's lawyer ignored his request for appeal. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. The actual death is not shown but the sound of the electrical charge is audible. This leads him to bring Walter's story to the new program 60 Minutes. JUST MERCY written by Destin Daniel Cretton & Andrew Lanham based on the book by Bryan Stevenson This script is the confidential and proprietary property of Warner Bros. Pictures and no portion of it may be performed, distributed, reproduced, used, quoted or published without prior written permission. All rights reserved. Issues such as racial injustice can seem insurmountable, Jordan acknowledges. Herberts new love symbolizes the new beginning he isnt permitted to have, and it explains the fervor of his last-minute efforts to dispute his sentence. He also insisted that the parallel story of Herbert Richardson (Rob Morgan), a guilty man whose conviction remains in place and whose execution is seen in excruciating detail, be part of the movie. "Its not fair that we send people off to war to fight for this country, yetwhen they come back traumatized and they make mistakes, we act as if their sacrifice is irrelevant. Just Mercy also introduces other clients represented by Stevenson, including Herbert Richardson. Just Mercys McMillian corresponds pretty closely to the man depicted in both the 60 Minutes segment and Stevensons memoir, but its perhaps worth noting that Earleys bookis a little harsher on him, alleging thatalthough rumors during the trial that McMillian was a player in the Dixie mafia were nonsensehe really was a small-time marijuana dealer, whod been investigated by both the Alabama Bureau of Investigation and local police, for whatever thats worth. Another central case that Bryan takes on is that of Herbert Richardson (Rob Morgan), a war veteran suffering from PTSD who is on death row for planting a bomb at his neighbor's house and killing them. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. And the camera was literally a couple inches from their faces. In and out. [BREATHING DEEPLY] Now close your eyes. Our DP, Brett Pollock, was really wanting to shoot all of these jail cells scenes as close to reality as possible. There he meets with Bryan one last time and prays. The entire case rested on the testimony of career criminal Ralph Myers (Tim Blake Nelson) who was coerced by law enforcement to make the false accusation or face the death penalty. Before his death, he refused to have a last meal, and requested to be blindfolded as he was led to the chamber, according to the outlet. Their need to take care of logistical details conflicts with the urgency of pleas from death row, highlighting the importance of resources to facilitate effective advocacy. There we see all Walter's family, friends and neighbors are still standing by him all these years later despite being ignored by authorities. Mr McMillian was with his family miles away when Ronda Morrison was killed. Just Mercy takes us inside America's broken criminal justice system and compels us to confront inequality and injustice.. Based on the bestselling book, the Just Mercy movie presents the unforgettable story of Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan) and the case of Walter McMillian (Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx), who was convicted and sentenced to death for a crime he . I wrote a letter to my father, I said I'm not gonna come see you, I don't wanna see you like that because I see you as a king.". Before his death, he refused to have a last meal, and requested to be blindfolded as he was led to thechamber, according to the outlet. Heres Stevensons account of a conversation he had with McMillian in the common room of a nursing home he was staying in, years after hed been completely exonerated: Well, it looks like Im back here, [McMillian] said with a heavy sigh. In a final statement before his execution, Richardsonsaid, I have no ill feeling and hold nothing against anyone, The Times reported. But it didn't matter. Here's a spoiler: At the end of "Just Mercy," Michael B. Jordan's new film about justice, civil rights and capital punishment, you will be moved.And angry. Stevenson implies that Herberts lawyer felt no investment in his clients fate because the court underpaid him. Review: Just Mercy Film. The movie is a compelling look at injustices that still exist today and the people who suffer from them. Chapter Summary Of Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy ' 1012 Words | 5 Pages. In August 1988, a black man named Walter McMillian, known as Johnny D, was sentenced to death for the murder of a white teenage girl in Monroeville, Alabama. They done put me back on death row., Walter, this isnt the row. Everyone I saw at the prison seemed surrounded by a cloud of regret and remorse. Tate couldnt charge Walter McMillian with the murder of Ronda Morrison on the basis of Ralph Myers testimony alone, but Myers say-so was enough to arrest him on a sodomy charge. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. I said, 'I'm sorry, your honour, I didn't introduce myself. They create enough noise for Herbert to hear and remember that he is not alone in his final moments. (including. Herbert was one of many veterans with PTSD who was unable to readjust to society after his military service, and so wound up on death row. (?) Similarly, there really was a recording of Myers insisting he knew nothing about the murder, and the prosecution really didnt turn it over to the defense, and his testimony, which nearly got Walter McMillian killed, really was that absurd on its face. Stevenson illustrates the fluidity of moral arguments surrounding the death penalty by showing the differences in Supreme Court rulings over time. An overwhelmingly white jury sentenced him to life in prison, but the judge overrode the jury and condemned him to die. In any event, if the film version of Just Mercy underplays the slightly disreputable things McMillian may have done before being railroaded, it also underplays the horror of what was done to him. Over the course of the movie, the guard has a quiet change of heart while observing Stevenson at work and life on death row, which is dramatized by improved treatment of Stevenson and McMillian both. Herbert Richardson (Rob Morgan) Warner Bros. Walter 'Johnny D' McMillan (Jamie Foxx) is arrested, convicted, and sentenced to death row for the murder of Ronda Morrison - a crime he did not commit. I went over to Herberts wife as she held him tightly, sobbing softly. Pocket. #3. Ten days before he was executed, he married a woman hemet after writing to the El Bethel Primitive Baptist Church, whose broadcasts he listened to on the radio, The Times reported. Theyre going to execute me for no good reason, and I dont want to die in no electric chair. He was crying now with a forcefulness that alarmed me. More than 30 years later, Stevenson is still fighting. Myers finally does the right thing and admits his original testimony was false. Everything I said at McMillian's trial was a lie. Just keep your mind on that. A group of women, white, evidently scared, minimise themselves as far into one corner as they can go, until, "Oh!" As hinted at in his previous remarks and seen in the final scene, Bryan's fight for justice did not end with Walter's release from prison. During his years in prison, he seeks redemption. The book "Just Mercy" is essentially a memoir from Bryan Stevenson about his life, post Harvard, aiding death row inmates in the South. The scene in the movie in which Ansley chews out a landlord for refusing to rent them office space because of their work doesnt come from Stevensons book, but he does note that the University of Alabama School of Law had promised them office space, then backed out of the deal. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs He is shot seventeen times in the back by his captors, dying ingloriously but not unlawfully. In reality,Richardson requested to beblindfolded and never saw the room. The epilogue explains that Anthony Ray Hinton (played by O'Shea Jackson Jr. in the film) was another case Bryan took on and another conviction he had overturned. It dramatizes the courageous efforts by Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan), an. "That was real, my knees just gaveout," Morgan says. He gathers his belongings and walks out of the cell a free man. Stevenson set up the EJI, a non-profit organisation based in Montgomery, Alabama, to provide legal representation to people who have been illegally convicted, unfairly sentenced or abused in state jails and prisons, and works to challenge the death penalty. Alabama Gov. It was so clear to me that his life still had meaning and value," Stevenson says. In the movie, the hearing in which Stevenson submits the overwhelming evidence that McMillian was innocent is referred to as Judge Foster, played by Lindsay Ayliffe, looking as much like Jeff Sessions as possible. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Pic: EJI, Jamie Foxx stars as death row inmate Walter McMillian in Just Mercy. I was fuming and angry, and I allowed that anger and confusion to fuel the character. The personal sacrifices that Stevenson and Ansley face are apparent, in part, because of their difficulty in finding other lawyers willing to work under the same conditions. (In the screenplay, the location is identified as an officie building in Montgomery, so the landlord is not a stand-in for University of Alabama officials: The school is in Tuscaloosa.) World-renowned civil rights defense attorney Bryan Stevenson works to free a wrongly condemned death row prisoner. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. Im the director of Just Mercy. This is a scene between Walter McMillian. JUST MERCY The Movie. Richardson, a Vietnam War veteran, was found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to death following the killing of an 11-year-old girl, according to the Huffington Post. The State decided to invoke an unprecedented theory of transferred intent. By describing how he prayed with Herbert, hugged him, and shared in his last reflections, Stevenson shows how he developed a personal friendship with Herbert and how this made witnessing his death more painful. Stevenson receives a desperate call from another man on death row, Herbert Richardson. He had Stevenson's account of thecase from his memoir, "Just Mercy," on which the film is based, and twophotographs of Richardson. And both sides of the conversation were captured. Stevensons awareness of Herberts humanity makes him feel that it would be impossible to say no, despite his lack of resources. Pic: Warner Bros Entertainment Inc, McMillian and EJI founder Bryan Stevenson, and below, played by Michael B Jordan and Jamie Foxx. You wont be able to achieve the kind of justice that has to be achieved.. But after meeting Jordan, Foxx and director Destin Daniel Cretton, he was satisfied they cared. "The fear was so present.". The footage of seeing real-life Hinton released from prison and reuniting with his family is a powerful moment. Can we get you coffee? The pleas from death row inmates on behalf of their fellow prisoners demonstrate their capacity for selflessness and empathy despite their own dire circumstances. Marriage, which would normally be considered the beginning of a life together, takes on a very different meaning in this context. By providing historical context about the Supreme Court in the late 1980s, Stevenson allows Herberts experience to illustrate overall political trends. LitCharts Teacher Editions. It goes like this: Jamie Foxx gets into a lift in a hotel in Chicago, hoodie on, covering part of his face. He was the first Vietnam war veteran to be put to death, and the sixth inmate in the state of Alabama to be executed following the Supreme Courts 1976 decision to reinstate capital punishment, per UPIs report. And this was the scene where we actually bring the camera as close as possible to both Walter McMillian and Herbert Richardson. I dont know why exactly, but I started to hum it as I saw more uniformed officers entering the vestibule outside the visitation room. From the next cell, Walter calms him by helping him visualize trees in the forest. tunefind. And that was something that we were playing with with the camera, was leading up to this very scene. Stevenson exhibits the power of empathy in Just Mercy most clearly in a case involving a Vietnam War veteran with PTSD. Larson explained why she found Ansley inspirational at this years Variety Power of Women event, then brought her out on stage to talk about her work: In the 1980s, Ansley was running a project pairing condemned men with lawyers in Alabama while Stevenson was doing similar work at the Southern Prisoners Defense Committee. To convince Walter that he is here to help, Bryan visits Walter's family in the poor African American community. Made by movie fans, for movie fans. Stevenson continues to focus on the absurdity of bureaucracy and technicalities in light of the gravity of Herberts death. Michael B Jordan wanted to make idol Jamie Foxx proud with heartbreaking performance in Just Mercy, Michael B Jordan and Jamie Foxx scrub up well at Just Mercy premiere, Do not sell or share my personal information. I remember the threats when the police pulled me out of the car and threatened to kill me. The lawyers failure to bring up his clients past contrasts with Stevensons detailed account of Herberts life. Based on the real-life experiences of attorney Bryan Stevenson, "Just Mercy" is a legal drama about the plight of a wrongly convicted inmate on death row in Alabama. Walter's story is just one of many similar examples of injustice in America. He leaned over the correctional officers actor and said, make them tighter, hes a bigger one. The actor mockingly wipes his brow. He goes on to tell what he calls his "pheeew" joke. Violence: A scene of execution is shown where a man is strapped into an electric chair. Tate has categorically denied saying any of this. Circumstantial Evidence goes much deeper into Myers ties to the other people involved in the case, but Just Mercy gets the details pertinent to McMillians fight for freedom right.His testimony at McMillians first trial was a ridiculous story that was impossible to reconcile with the physical evidence. He did really play The Old Rugged Cross over the prison P.A. Their nose is out of focus. Even the characters that were white were still engaged., He added: What I love about this movie is the fact that even the corrections officer gives you the opportunity to see his contrition that he knew things were wrong.. Foxx's McMillian is written in a similarly flat manner, but he shines in his few scenes with fellow Death Row inmate Herbert Richardson . Herbert shall be put to death by electrocution. Stevenson told the Huffington Post in 2015 that his last interactions with Richardson have stayed withhim. But every source agrees about one thing: McMillian had nothing to do with the murder of Ronda Morison. Just Mercy came out in select theaters at the end of 2019 and was somewhat overshadowed by the bigger, attention-grabbing films at the time. Attorney Bryan Stevenson took McMillians case in 1988, and in 1993 secured McMillians freedom after demonstrating that the prosecution had withheld evidence and pressured their star witness into lying. Twenty-nine states - more than half - still have the death penalty. . The Word file is viewable with any PC or Mac and can be further adjusted if you want to mix questions around and/or add your own headers for things like "Name," "Period," and "Date." The Word file offers unlimited customizing options so that you can teach in the Find all 31 songs in Just Mercy Soundtrack, with scene descriptions. He was charged with capital murder in 1977 after placing a pipe bomb on the porchof a veterans hospital nurse who had broken off a relationship with him. And it allowed the two actors to really be in it and respond to each other. On the night of the execution, Herbert was calm and introduced Stevenson to his weeping wife and family. Part 4, "Old Rugged Cross", portrays the narrative of Vietnam War Veteran Herbert Duncan, whose case lights up the battles Veterans frequently have in getting the restorative and emotional wellness bolster they require, while Chapter 6 ("Surely Doomed") delineates how across the board lawful foul play is for adolescents, a . He was charged with capital murder and sentenced to death after he unintentionally killed the niece of his ex-girlfriend in a delusional effort to win his ex-girlfriend back. The scene is emotionally distressing, though filmmakers decided notto show Richardson when1,800 electrical volts were sentthrough his body. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. I whispered to her, We have to let him go. Herbert saw the officers lining up outside, and he pulled away from her slowly and told me to take her out of the room. he hears one of the women exclaim, the relief palpable. Jake Giles Netter/Warner Bros. Herbert Richardson, a Vietnam veteran who was sentenced to death by the state of Alabama for the 1977 pipe bomb . The years of being told he was a murderer weighed on him and at that moment he was reminded he is not at fault. And that's why this movie is so important.". Shooting a jail scene, I was like lets shoot this and hurry up.. An idealistic lawyer (Michael B. Jordan, left) seeks exoneration for an innocent man on death row (Jamie Foxx) in "Just Mercy.". The woman's 11-year-old niece, Rena Mae Callins, waskilled when she picked it up. Bagwells public airing of his disillusionment and his personal lack of concern for death row inmates contrasts with the willingness of Stevenson and Ansley to inconvenience themselves for their cause. Part memoir, part exhortation for much-needed reform to the American criminal justice system, Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy is a heartrending and inspirational call to arms written by the activist lawyer who founded the Equal Justice Initiative, an Alabama-based organization responsible for freeing or reducing the sentences of scores of wrongfully convicted individuals. "Just Mercy" follows crusading attorney Bryan Stevenson (played by Michael B. Jordan) and his successful effortto save an innocent death-row inmate, Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx),from execution. Destin Daniel Cretton shot that scene, but choseto focus instead on Stevenson's horrifiedreaction in the glassed-off viewing area. Just Mercy review - death row drama with quiet power. Stop reading now if you don't want to know. Please get me out of here. The details depicted . We are all better than the worst thing we have ever done. In the summer 1989, despite a series of setbacks with obtaining space and securing funding. LitCharts Teacher Editions. ", After the film opened in the US earlier in January, Stevenson says he was "blown away" to receive hundreds of emails "from people whose loved ones are in jails and prisons who are now saying, 'I have some hope about what might happen to my loved one. Everything gonna be aight.. The capacity for the Supreme Court to change its position on the death penalty conflicts with the irreversibility of the death penalty itself; the Court found that executing the mentally disabled was unconstitutional, but this decision cant retroactively impact the fate of Dunkins. Stevenson holds public education responsible for instilling compassion and he suggests that education can mean the difference between life or death. In 1988, they secured federal funding to set up the nonprofit that eventually became the Equal Justice Initiative. The incident actually happened during the reading of the initial guilty verdict, before Stevenson was involved, and Earley and Stevenson dont agree about all the factsStevenson has the courtroom tackle, Earley has Sheriff Tate issuing an arrest warrant for Johnny afterwards and making his mom drive him back to court be bookedbut in both versions, Tate claimed Johnny said something along the lines of Somebodys going to pay for what theyve done to my father., Tate also seems to have been the government official who was most reluctant to accept that McMillian was innocent, even after he was finally released from prison. The murder remains unsolved to this day, and the people who ruined McMillians life prospered in the aftermath. The next day there were articles in the press about the execution. Based on a true story, Just Mercy(2019) follows civil rights defense attorney Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan) as he recounts his experiences and details the case of a condemned death row prisoner, Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx), whom he fought to free, as he becomes embroiled in a labyrinth of legal and political maneuverings and overt and And if not enlightened at least . Black Hawk helicopter from Tennessee National Guard crashes in Alabama killing two, US tornadoes: At least nine dead after southern states hit - as tens of thousands of people left without power, At least seven dead as storm system batters southern US with tornado leaving trail of destruction in Alabama. Recalling the experience of working with Michael, the Ray actor said: It was a lot of emotions, its so important. However, this legal drama based on incredible true events deserves to find an audience for its timely and powerful story. The Oscar-winning actor . As he's led into the room with shaved eyebrows and prison whites, his legs buckle dramatically. supports HTML5 Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Later he dies when, full of despair, he makes a desperate attempt to escape from prison. The movie is filled with inspirational moments. The movie is filled with inspirational moments. Lettingyour mind imagine what is happening on the other side is just enough.". We consulted both of those books, contemporary news reports, and court documents to sort out whats true and whats artistic license in the new movie. Jan 8, 2020, 6:00am PST. As well as racial injustice, Just Mercy highlights the monstrosity of capital punishment, innocent or not; a scene involving one of McMillian's fellow death row inmates, Herb Richardson, is one of the film's many heart-breaking moments. However, a young girl and her friend triggered the bomb, killing one and traumatizing the other. I don't want any defendants in my courtroom without their lawyer.'. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. Struggling with distance learning? Crucially, Tate arrested McMillian in his truck, which gave him a pretext to drive the truck to the police stationTate drove it personallywhich made it possible to have a prisoner who said he knew something about the case see the truck and positively identify it as the one he claimed hed seen outside the cleaners around the time of the shooting, which gave Tate the minimum number of witnesses hed need to charge McMillian with Morrisons murder. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. The movie is centered on Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan), a young black man from Delaware who graduates from Harvard Law. Just Mercy Drama 2020 2 hr 17 min English audio (and 10 more) PG-13 CC Buy or rent A powerful and thoughtprovoking true story, "Just Mercy" follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson (Jordan). For example, the movie features a white prison guard (Hayes Mercure) who initially forces Stevenson to strip search before meeting with a client. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! This story encompasses over twenty-five years worth of impactful cases and how policy changes, due to major Supreme Court cases, were dealt with locally. Except for 60 Minutes and a constant scrum of reporters outside the courthouse, the media is mostly absent from this story about someone being railroadedfor a movie with the exact opposite problem, see Richard Jewelland thats a shame, because Chapman spent almost the entire process complaining to the Monroe Journal about the case. As he walks out, the rest of the death row inmates reach out and shake his hand, happy to see him walking to his freedom. Struggling with distance learning? "But at the same time, [the women] were really frightened. The scared but dignified man says goodbye to his friends and is led down to the waiting room. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. One of his first cases is that of Walter McMillian, who is sentenced to die in 1987 for the murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite evidence proving his innocence. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Just Mercy came out in select theaters at the end of 2019 and was somewhat overshadowed by the bigger, attention-grabbing films at the time. Though Bryan is defeated by the continued injustice they face, Walter has a different outlook. He continued: Look what he did with Fruitvale Station and the narrative that he had with Killmonger which was the villain [in Black Panther], but at the same time his narrative was about our culture. "They put him in jail for seven years. What it is is this presumption of dangerousness and guilt. Though he is obviously pained to be back behind bars, he admits that hearing Myers admit he lied was the first time Walter felt like himself in a long time. I want people to walk away [from seeing Just Mercy] feeling like they could be a part of change.". Stevenson believes that what he sees as the immoral cruelty of capital punishment is just as evident in those scenes. Richardson, who had survived a harrowing attack that killed the rest of his platoon, was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army because of apsychiatric illness developed duringhis service. 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For instilling compassion and he suggests that education can mean the difference between life or death their fellow prisoners their. Free account to access notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account to walk [. Director Destin Daniel Cretton, he makes a desperate call from another man on death row., Walter has different... Get close to reality as possible - death row drama with quiet.. The stand to question that testimony again meaning in this context Walter calms by... Court underpaid him Stevenson & # x27 ; s lawyer ignored his request for appeal was wanting.