Just Mercy Study Guide

Dates

1861 - 1865: U.S. Civil War

1870s - 1890s: Jim Crow Era

1896: Plessy vs. Ferguson; “separate but equal.”

1989: When Bryan Stevenson opened the EJI

1993: Walter gets released from prison

1954: Brown vs. Board of Education

1964: Civil Rights Act

2014: Just Mercy was written

People

Jim Crow: fictional black character; stereotyped

Plessy v. Ferguson: “separate but equal.”

Brown v. Board of Education: racial segregation in public schools was declared unconstitutional

Monroeville: Where the story takes place

To Kill a Mockingbird: It is a similar story to Just Mercy

Bryan Stevenson: Lawyer and main character; started the EJI

Steve Bright: Bryan’s old boss

Southern Prisoners Defense Committee: Bryan’s previous job

Henry: The first person on death row that Bryan met

Herbert Richardson: He died in the electric chair

Walter McMillian: Bryan’s client (main character) was in prison for 6 years

Johnny D: Walter’s nickname

Ronda Morrison: The lady that Walter was accused of murdering

Vicki Pittman: the other lady who was murdered but didn't get as much attention

Sheriff Tate: the sheriff of Monrieville and the guy who arrested Walter

Judge Robert E. Lee Key: the racist judge

Ted Pearson: DA of Monroeville

Minnie: Walter’s wife

Baldwin County: Where the trial was held

Ralph Myers: made false testimony against Walter

Karen Kelly: having relations with Walter and then Ralph

Bruce Boynton and J.L. Chestnut: Walter’s original lawyers

Bill Hooks: was bribed to say that Ralph’s testimony was accurate

Darnell Houston: the man who could prove Walter’s innocence

Yellow Mama: the electric chair

Tom Chapman: replaced Ted Pearson as the DA

Equal Justice Initiative: Bryan’s company

Mozelle and Ozelle: Vicki’s aunts

Charlie: the young inmate Bryan met, who killed his mom's boyfriend

The Jenningses: the family that took Charlie in and gave him the money that his grandson would’ve gotten

Ian Manuel: shot Debbie Baigre in the face but did not kill her

Debbie Baigre: got shot in the face by Ian Manuel

Antonio Nunez: shot at cops

Trina Garnett: burned someone's house down

Tutwiler Prison: the women’s prison

Mrs. Williams: went to Walter’s hearing but was triggered by the police dogs

Avery Jenkins: had mental problems

Marsha Colbey: had a stillborn baby and got charged with capital murder

Joe Sullivan: he was in a wheelchair

Evan Miller: killed an old guy after getting high with him

Jimmy Dill: the guy who shot a man, and then the guy died 9 months later but Jimmy Dill got charged for murder

Joshua Carter and Robert Caston: Bryan helped them get out of jail after they had been in jail for 50 years