Just Mercy Mind Map by

Just Mercy

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 00:43:13 UTC

General Topic: Systemic racism and injustice

Thesis: Wrongful convictions from racial bias and police corruption

Director: Destin Daniel Cretton

Release Date: December 25th, 2019

Members: Laura Forrestall, Franklin Rajakumar, Prabhvir Gill, Zaid Ghani

Racial Segregation

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 00:45:36 UTC

Systemic Racism

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 00:45:47 UTC

Abuse of Power

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 00:45:57 UTC

Human Dignity and Empathy

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 00:46:08 UTC

Coerced Testimonies (01:25:30) The man (Ralph Myers) that was the lead witness in McMillians case that ultimately lead to McMillians conviction was coerced into testifying. Law officials made him sit in a cell next to where they execute prisoners by electrocution knowing he had past trauma from the smell of burning flesh. Myers told the sheriff he would do and say what ever he wanted so he never had to go through that again.

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 00:53:42 UTC

(52:00) Darnell is ordered for arrest with perjury despite the fact there was no evidence that a false statement was made.

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 00:53:49 UTC

(21:51) "Guilty from the moment you were born" McMillian mentions that the police having no evidence or witnesses doesn't matter when everyone thinks that he looks like a man who did the crime (based of his race and appearance)

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 00:54:04 UTC

Legal Process (19:40) Several prisoners are seen in this scene describing the lawyers they were assigned by the court. One man had a trail that lasted 45 minutes. Another whose lawyer wouldn't let them take the stand. Another had a judge laugh at them stating "rehabilitation was a 70 year old joke"

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 00:54:09 UTC

Walter McMillians Arrest (3:56) In this scene McMlillian is pulled over by a police officer and the officer doesn't tell him why. The police officer proceeds to violently arrest McMillian treating him as if he weren't a human being. The officer makes a comment right before placing McMillian under arrest- "after what you've done I'm looking for any excuse to get this over with right here and right now" implying he would like to shoot McMillian on the spot.

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 00:54:14 UTC

(01:25) Myers tells Stevenson that he was threatened by the prosecution to testify against Walter. The prosecution knew that Myers had prior trauma to electric burns, using this information they struck fear into him and threatened him with the electric chair if he did not give a false testimony to convict McMillian.

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 00:54:20 UTC

(57:00) Stevenson is pulled over by two officers even though he did not commit any traffic offences. When Stevenson questions why he was being stopped, one of the officers immediately draws his firearm and points it at Stevenson to intimidate and make him comply with his orders to step out of the vehicle. They subsequently performed an illegal search.

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 00:54:26 UTC

(47:42) Someone randomly calls Stella (the lady working with Stevenson on McMillians case and says the following: "You the bi* working for that nr lawyer?, I'm the guy that put a bomb under your house gonna blow your whole family all to hell if you don't stop working for that n**r Johhny D".

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 00:54:31 UTC

(01:57) Stevenson arrives at the courthouse to find out if the charges against McMillian will be dropped. Once Stevenson enters the courthouse he sees all of McMillians family and supporters are being locked out of the courtroom by the court services officer. Everyone thats present and has a seat in the courtroom are all white and everyone who is being locked out are all black.

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 00:54:40 UTC

(45:10) Another prisoner named Herbert Richardson suffering from PTSD was also facing the death penalty. He was denied bail and held in solitary confinement for countless years awaiting trial for a non-lethal/violent crime. This shows how black defendants are often in more harsh conditions before their trials and they do not get the same benefit of doubt as other people who are innocent until proven guilty.

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 00:58:47 UTC

(15:40-17:26) In this scene, Stevenson went to visit the prison where individuals who were on death row, and as Stevenson entered the prison, he was asked by the guard to strip down and began to search him. Despite attorneys not being required to be searched whenever they meet their clients/legal visits.

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 00:58:52 UTC

(20:16) Before Bryan took over Walter McMillan’s case (Johnny D), he was represented by a pre appointed court attorney, and this pre appointed court attorney did not attempt to prove Mr.McMillans innocence as they believed that he was already guilty due to his background.

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 00:58:58 UTC

Lack of Consideration for Mental Illness/Disability (18:00) Prisoner Herbert Richardson served in the Vietnam War which was majorly traumatic causing him to receive a diagnosis of PTSD. This was never considered for his sentencing and he never received treatment up until his death by an electrical chair.

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 18:53:04 UTC

(33:00) Stevenson is seen driving to McMillians family home. McMillians home is in a black community far from town that is lower income.

zghani01 — 2024-03-19 22:29:03 UTC

Lack of "innocent until proven guilty in a court of law"

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 23:15:33 UTC

Court appointed lawyers that are pro the death penalty

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 23:21:21 UTC

Lack of Jury Diversity

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 23:22:39 UTC

(01:40) The man that found the woman whose murder McMillian was convicted with wanted to tell the truth about how her body was found but the prosecutor had him fired.

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 23:30:13 UTC

Law officials compiled false evidence and testimony to fit their desire of making McMillian seem like the killer.

lforre01 — 2024-03-19 23:32:30 UTC

The prosecution knew that Darnell's statement contradicts Myers entire testimony, but they wrongfully charged him so he can not testify and by doing so, they do not have to go through the trial process again even if it meant to exonerate an innocent person

lforre01 — 2024-03-20 00:01:46 UTC

(01:55) Stevenson is seen visiting the lead prosecutors home. The prosecutors home is close to town and displayed as only being white people.

lforre01 — 2024-03-20 00:08:11 UTC