Is Just Mercy based on a true story? Here's everything to know

Just Mercy is an American legal drama flick starring Michael B Jordan, Tim Blake Nelson, Jamie Foxx, Rob Morgan, Rafe Spall, Karan Kendrick, and Brie Larson in the lead roles. Helmed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the 2019 movie is based on Stevenson’s memoir of the same name. It follows the true story of Walter McMillian, who seeks the help of young defence attorney Bryan Stevenson to appeal his murder conviction.

Just Mercy premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2019. The movie was theatrically released on December 25, 2019. It opened to mostly positive reviews from critics and the audience alike. Jamie Foxx received a nod for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role at Screen Actors Guild Awards. Read on to know Just Mercy true story:

Just Mercy real story

Just Mercy is a story of racial discrimination and injustice. It follows a young lawyer Bryan Stevenson, as he heads to Alabama for defending those who have been wrongly convicted. A local advocate Eva Ansley assisted him for the same. Stevenson attempts to defend an innocent man, Walter McMillian, who was accused of murdering an 18-year-old girl. Here’s everything you need to know about the movie.

Is Just Mercy based on a true story?

Just Mercy is based on the true story of a black man, Walter McMillian. So, the characters Stevenson, McMillian, and Eva Ansley are based on real-life people, who were a part of the case. Moreover, Just Mercy is an adaptation of Stevenson’s memoir with the same name. Set in the backdrop of the late 1980s, Walter McMillian was wrongly accused of killing a young white girl, Ronda Morrison. She was shot multiple times from behind at a dry cleaner’s place. He was among a few witnesses.

Walter McMillian was handed the death sentence, after which Stevenson came to the rescue and took his case. He unearthed various instances of racial discrimination. However, the truth surfaced that McMillian’s trial happened over just a day-and-a-half. The majority of the white jury found McMillian guilty despite other witnesses.

Walter McMillian did not have any criminal records besides that conviction and a misdemeanour charge after a fight in the bar, which happened before the murder incident took place. A newly-elected Sheriff Tom Tate arrested McMillian as he was under the pressure to catch a suspect. According to reports, Tate told Walter McMillian after the arrest that he did not care what he said or what he did. The Sheriff also said that he did not care what his people say. Tom Tate was reportedly willing to put twelve people on a jury who were going to find themselves guilty.

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How long was Walter McMillian in prison?

In the real story, Walter McMillian was behind the bars for six years and after five appeals, the was exonerated and freed from the prison. As per reports, many witnesses had testified against McMillian and admitted that they had lied in their original testimony. Moreover, the judges had ruled that the state had suppressed evidence. After McMillian was released, he filed a lawsuit against state and local officials, before they settled for an undisclosed amount.

McMillian passed away in 2013, at the age of 71. On the other hand, Bryan Stevenson is alive and works as a Director of the Equal Justice Initiative. The organisation provides legal representation to prisoners who may have been wrongly accused.

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