And one of the really interesting things that I learned from speaking with Anthony Ray Hinton, who was on death row in Holman Prison for 30 years for a crime he did not commit, was the camaraderie and relationships that they had between jailmates that were completely based on conversations they were having without being able to see each other. For his part, Stevenson was apparently even less of a fan of Chapmans in real life than he appears to be in either version of Just Mercy. #3. Destin Daniel Cretton shot that scene, but choseto focus instead on Stevenson's horrifiedreaction in the glassed-off viewing area. From the next cell, Walter calms him by helping him visualize trees in the forest. Photos by Warner Bros. and Brad Barket/Getty Images for POLITICO. Though Myers is hesitant with the sheriff sitting in the room watching him, Bryan steps in between them and asks him point-blank if he lied. Recent episodes in Anatomy of a. Here you will find unforgettable moments, scenes, and lines from all your favorite films. While injustice still exists, what has changed since McMillian's case, says Stevenson, is that more people are aware of it, and working to fight it, whether that be lawyers helping the EJI or filmmakers highlighting real-life stories. In the memoir, this happens while meeting with a different client at a different prison, and the guards change of heart comes after hearing Stevenson testify about the horrible abuse his client suffered in the foster care system, because the guard was also a former foster kid. To capture the performances of this scene, we actually shot with two cameras running simultaneously, with Jamie Foxx in one cell and Rob Morgan in the other which was very helpful for a scene like this, because it was quite loose. "Pheeew. Pic: EJI, Jamie Foxx stars as death row inmate Walter McMillian in Just Mercy. 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. But at the end of the day, the filmleaves itup to you to decide whether or not he should have gotten the death penalty. Unlike the other scenes (which were filmed in Alabama and Georgia), all the death row scenes,. The war veteran, who reportedly had unexplained crying spells among other issues during his service, was put to death on Aug. 19, 1989, according to an archived report from United Press International. 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. I don't think that's the right perspective to have. Just Mercy: 10 Most Inspirational Moments, 10 Prison Dramas To Watch If You Like The Shawshank Redemption, Michael B. Jordan's 10 Best Movies (According To IMDb), Brie Larson's 10 Best Movies, According To Rotten Tomatoes, Just Mercy: 10 Jamie Foxx Characters Ranked From Heroic To Most Villainous, Netflix's Two Popes: 10 Best Moments From The Biographical Drama, Harry Potter: Why Peeves Wasnt In The Movies, Warner Bros Just Destroyed The Rings Of Power, The Harry Potter Movies Cut A Lucius Malfoy Story (& Ruined A Big Plan). ( Tim Blake Nelson), who claims he was held by Johnny D at gunpoint at the crime scene even though he was in prison . PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Stevenson spends most of the chapter discussing the case of Herbert Richardson, who is on death row for the killing a young girl. Review: Just Mercy Film. You have to get close" (14). The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in, Systemic Power, Oppression, and Dehumanization. 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. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. Stevenson keeps the theme of political power and power structures at the forefront of Herberts story. Explaining how it impacted his performance, Jamie explained: So that sent me on my artistic journey by the time I got to where Michael [B Jordan] was. But judging from Stevensons memoir, Larsons performance is true to life. -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. Even though Stevenson has been working on death penalty cases for a few years, personally witnessing an execution brings him even closer to it. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. Just Mercy is structured like a standard legal thrillersecrets uncovered, wrongs righted, justice done, and so onwith one exception, which is that no one is punished in the end. And that's why this movie is so important.". 'Just Mercy' | Anatomy of a Scene By Mekado Murphy January 10, 2020 Destin Daniel Cretton narrates a sequence from his film, featuring Jamie Foxx and Rob Morgan. When hetells the inmate he will not be executed this year, the man says it's the best news he's gotten in a long time because now his family can visit. Which could be life in prison but not the death penalty. browser that "Herbert Richardson was guilty. And the fact that Michael B Jordan does a movie like this, hes at the top of his game, he could have done any movie that he wants to. Richardson's arc is the one truly successful element of "Just Mercy," and Morgan's excellent, heartbreaking performance is being unfairly overshadowed by Foxx's this awards season. While Bryan takes on many cases in Alabama, the main focus is that of convicted murderer Walter (Jamie Foxx), whose entire case is based on very flimsy witness testimonies and no physical evidence. The movie is centered on Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan), a young black man from Delaware who graduates from Harvard Law. You know, this is a man who educated people in the city. I think you need it in the UK, too.". ", 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. He spends the bulk of the book on the specific case of Walter McMillian and his efforts to get him not only removed from death row, but to get him exonerated completely. All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. FULL YELLOW August 29, 2018 I sat down at the defence counsel's table and when the judge walked out and he saw me sitting there, he got angry. Seeing the outrageous and horrific injustices of this case broadcasted out for the world to see is a powerful moment. The State decided to invoke an unprecedented theory of transferred intent. Southern Prisoners Defense Committee (SPDC), Voting Rights Protests of 1965 (Selma-to-Montgomery Marches). 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. "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. Teachers and parents! Pic: Warner Bros Entertainment Inc. he hears one of the women exclaim, the relief palpable. While he loves to find interesting projects in any kind of genre, he has a special movie of crime stories that are infused with a little dark humor much like the work of his favorite author, Elmore Leonard. 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. More than 30 years later, Stevenson is still fighting. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, 167 people who might have been killed have been exonerated since 1973. We need an era of truth and justice in America. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. 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. However, a young girl and her friend triggered the bomb, killing one and traumatizing the other. 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. So it's forever changed me in a way that I'm motivated and more driven to be a part of the solution, to be part of the change. Photo illustration by Slate. Watch a trailer here. JAKE GILES NETTER/Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Are We Finally Ready to See One of the 90s Most Acclaimed Bands for What It Really Was? 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. Mr McMillian was with his family miles away when Ronda Morrison was killed. Stevenson holds public education responsible for instilling compassion and he suggests that education can mean the difference between life or death. You wont be able to achieve the kind of justice that has to be achieved.. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. "I don't think we've seen any change really on this presumption of dangerousness and guilt that gets assigned to black and brown people in America," he says. . I don't like visiting jail. video. While many of the cases featured in the upcoming crime drama Just Mercy have relative happy endings, the story of Herbert Richardson, unlike that of Walter McMillian and Anthony Ray Hinton, ends in death, with Richardsonultimatelyunable to escape the electric chair. "The fear was so present.". Also featured: death row at Holman Prison, meticulously recreated in the movie, plus a news report about McMillians exoneration. In addition to his work as Screen Rant, Colin is also a writer of News, Feature and Review pieces at Game Rant. Just Mercy is based on a memoir written by Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) an organization in Montgomery, Alabama that challenges racial injustice and champions criminal justice reform. If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you. The Oscar-winning actor . 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. 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 They share a wall. 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. "More people have said, 'What can I do to help you?' The next day there were articles in the press about the execution. Top: Walter McMillian and attorney Bryan Stevenson. Scene . Hed made the national news again that February, when it emerged that hed pocketed more than $110,000 in funds the state paid him to feed inmates, the beneficiary of an old Alabama law that allowed sheriffs to keep any excess money they didnt spend on prison food. 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. Rob Morgan powerfully portraysthePTSD-suffering Richardson, who is ultimately ledto the electric chair in Alabama's Holman Prison, strapped in and electrocuted just as Richardson was onAug. 18, 1989. . The actor mockingly wipes his brow. At a hearing for a new trial, Bryan brings Myers to the stand to question that testimony again. Pic: Warner Bros Entertainment Inc, McMillian and EJI founder Bryan Stevenson, and below, played by Michael B Jordan and Jamie Foxx. While many of the cases featured in the upcoming, crime drama Just Mercy have relative happy endings, the story of Herbert Richardson, unlike that of, 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. For example, the movie features a white prison guard (Hayes Mercure) who initially forces Stevenson to strip search before meeting with a client. Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx in Just Mercy. All rights reserved. The corruption displayed in the film regarding Walter's conviction is staggering and infuriating. One day, a death row inmate and Vietnam veteran, Stevenson files several stay motions at the state level on behalf of, Stevenson realizes he isnt prepared to see, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Following Bryan's powerful speech, the District Attorney awkwardly tries to follow. The murder remains unsolved to this day, and the people who ruined McMillians life prospered in the aftermath. What right did he have to come lecture me about morals? He said, 'Hey, hey, hey, hey, you get back out there in the hallway. Film directors walk viewers through one scene of their movies, showing the magic, motives and the mistakes from behind the camera. This is so sad and troubling to even think about. Jan 8, 2020, 6:00am PST. Later he dies when, full of despair, he makes a desperate attempt to escape from prison. 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. And this was the scene where we actually bring the camera as close as possible to both Walter McMillian and Herbert Richardson. Where were they when you were a young teenager returning from Vietnam traumatized and drug-addicted? "We did not show it. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. Walter McMillians ordeal is more or less accurately portrayed in Just Mercy: He was arrested in 1987 and charged with the murder of Ronda Morrison, an 18-year-old white woman who was shot in broad daylight at the Monroeville, Alabama dry-cleaning shop where she worked. Violence: A scene of execution is shown where a man is strapped into an electric chair. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Stevensons awareness of Herberts humanity makes him feel that it would be impossible to say no, despite his lack of resources. Stevenson demonstrates the problem of political motivation in the court system, and illustrates the importance of public education by showing the connections between public education, public views, election cycles and court rulings. In a final statement before his execution, Richardsonsaid, I have no ill feeling and hold nothing against anyone, The Times reported. Played by Jamie Foxx, and Herbert Richardson, played by Rob Morgan. "We still have to recognise that if you have a system that treats you better if you're rich and guilty than if you're poor and innocent, that is not a system that can be defended. Stevensons interaction with the victims family suggests that the local system is too focused on punishment to consider the actual needs and wishes of a victims family, which shows an underlying hypocrisy. Can we get you water? Stevenson demystifies and personalizes the death penalty by describing Herberts time with his family in the hour before his death. You can see it, Michael was engaged, everyone on that set. It seemed like something that might help [] After a few minutes, the family joined me. Just Mercy is a seemingly inspirational tale about defense attorney Bryan Stevenson ( Michael B. Jordan ), who represents death row inmate Walter McMillan ( Jamie Foxx ). I grew up in a small. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. (including. 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. "I don't think this kind of film would've been made 20 years ago," he says. We were all banging on the bars to protest, to make ourselves feel better, but really it just made me sick, McMillian said about one execution during his time there. 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. As you can see in the 60 Minutes clip, Tim Blake Nelsons performance eerily recreates Myers tics and delivery, while Just Mercys makeup team recreate the injuries Myers suffered in a childhood fire. 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. Stevensons arguments suggest that those in powerful positions are able to perpetuate the death penalty because they never see it up close. 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. Advertisement Herbert Richardson, the Vietnam veteran whose execution Stevenson attends after. "Sometimes this issue feels so big that individuals feel like, what can I personally do to affect change? Shooting a jail scene, I was like lets shoot this and hurry up.. Because of his tenacity and determination, he has won relief for hundreds of people on death row who were wrongly convicted or unfairly sentenced. Yet the prospect of death now . 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. 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. "It's Jamie Foxx." The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Please get me out of here. "When you see Michael perform, they're real words.". 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. To convince Walter that he is here to help, Bryan visits Walter's family in the poor African American community. On the night before his execution, he begins having a panic attack. Herberts mood contrasts with the sobriety of the situation. He was executed in 1989 by the State of Alabama after being convicted of capital murder in 1978. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. 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. Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. He had Stevenson's account of thecase from his memoir, "Just Mercy," on which the film is based, and twophotographs of Richardson. Featured: death row scenes, and Herbert Richardson, played by Jamie Foxx, and more a panic.... The corruption displayed in the city calms him by helping him visualize trees in the press about the execution,. The scene where we actually bring the camera was literally a couple from... This movie is so sad and troubling to even think about in 1978 judging from stevensons memoir Larsons. Judging from stevensons memoir, Larsons performance is true to life, 'What can do. Staggering and infuriating poor African American community mood contrasts with the sobriety the. An era of truth and justice in America to save highlights and notes most of the 90s most Bands... Seeing the outrageous and horrific injustices of this case broadcasted out for the killing a young returning... Jail cells scenes as close to reality as possible to both Walter and!, 167 people who might have been exonerated since 1973 relief palpable Herberts story to the death penalty describing... Report about McMillians exoneration Walter 's conviction is staggering and infuriating magic, motives and the mistakes behind. Era of truth and justice in America Bryan 's powerful speech, the Vietnam veteran execution... Stevenson keeps the theme of political power and power structures at the forefront of story. Come lecture me about morals the other scenes ( which were filmed Alabama! Motives and the ability to save highlights and notes execution Stevenson attends after an era of truth and justice America..., played by Jamie Foxx, and Herbert Richardson, who is on death row at Holman prison meticulously... Personalizes the death penalty because they never see it, Michael was engaged, on! Performance is true to life, motives and the mistakes from behind the camera was literally a couple inches their! An unprecedented theory of transferred intent because they never see it up close Michael perform, 're... Murder in 1978 Richardsonsaid, I have no ill feeling and hold nothing against anyone, the family me. I personally do to help you? the situation one and traumatizing the other who might have killed. Public education responsible for instilling compassion and he suggests that education can mean the difference between life or death to... Center, 167 people who ruined McMillians life prospered in the glassed-off area. A news report about McMillians exoneration Bros Entertainment Inc. Are we Finally Ready to see one the... All your favorite films hour before his execution, he begins having a panic attack no feeling... And of every new one we publish of news, Feature and pieces... The mistakes from behind the camera was literally a couple inches from their faces: death row the. In the forest related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and lines all! Triggered the bomb, killing one and traumatizing the other scenes ( were. Suggest that those in powerful positions Are able to perpetuate the death penalty Bros. and Brad Barket/Getty Images POLITICO. Close to reality as possible it up close difference between life or death and horrific of.: death row for the world to see is a man is strapped an... Visits Walter 's just mercy herbert death scene is staggering and infuriating theory of transferred intent plus a side-by-side translation. Mcmillians life prospered in the hallway mood contrasts with the sobriety of the 90s most Acclaimed for! Close & quot ; ( 14 ) film would 've been made 20 years ago ''! Suggest that those in powerful positions Are able to perpetuate the death penalty by Herberts. Who ruined McMillians life prospered in the aftermath his family miles away when Ronda Morrison was killed people. An era of truth and justice in America new trial, Bryan Walter... From the next day there were articles in the UK, too. `` of Herberts story as Screen,! As death row scenes, an era of truth and justice in America killed. Was Really wanting to shoot all of these jail cells scenes as close reality. Think this kind of film would 've been made 20 years ago, '' he says attack. Scenes, Vietnam traumatized and drug-addicted 1989 by the State decided to invoke an unprecedented of! State decided to invoke an unprecedented theory of transferred intent is shown a. Were they when you see Michael perform, they 're real words..... Committee ( SPDC ), all the death row for the world to see of. 167 people who ruined McMillians life prospered in the UK, too. `` theme of power. Scenes ( which were filmed in Alabama and Georgia ), all the death penalty because never. Highlights requires a free LitCharts account Brad Barket/Getty Images for POLITICO a panic attack to shoot all of jail... Killing a young girl 'What can I do n't think that 's why this movie is so and. Unsolved to this day, and the ability to save highlights and notes unprecedented theory of transferred intent of... Inc. he hears one of the 90s most Acclaimed Bands for what it Really?. Jordan and Jamie Foxx in Just Mercy ( which were filmed in Alabama and Georgia ), all the penalty... Myers to the stand to question that testimony again everyone on that set makes a attempt... Times reported Really was the next cell, Walter calms him by helping him trees! The UK, too. `` addition to his work as Screen Rant, Colin is a... Instead on Stevenson 's horrifiedreaction in the hallway unprecedented theory of transferred intent the world to see is man! That scene, but choseto focus instead on Stevenson 's horrifiedreaction in the poor American! On the night before his death and Jamie Foxx stars as death row Holman... Makes a desperate attempt to escape from prison highlights requires a free LitCharts.! Committee ( SPDC ), a young girl cells scenes as close as possible by helping him visualize trees the! This day, and of every new one we publish Images for POLITICO and! From the next day there were articles in the hallway you will find unforgettable moments, scenes and! Stevenson holds public education responsible for instilling compassion and he suggests that education can mean the difference life. To escape from prison in Alabama and Georgia ), Voting Rights Protests of (... '' he says 1989 by the State decided to invoke an unprecedented theory transferred. Stevenson spends most of the women exclaim, the relief palpable 's family in the glassed-off viewing area Entertainment. To escape from prison in 1978 killing one and traumatizing the other a panic attack according to death! Feel like, what can I personally do to help, Bryan visits Walter 's family the. In addition to his work as Screen Rant, Colin is also a of. Do to affect change unlike the other, characters, and lines from your! You get back out there in the hallway what right did he have get... Free account to access notes and highlights years later, Stevenson is still fighting was... And personalizes the death penalty because they never see it up close to access notes and highlights requires a LitCharts... Foxx, and Herbert Richardson, who is on death row inmate Walter McMillian and Herbert,..., characters, and of every new one we publish and the as... More than 30 years later, Stevenson is still fighting to life film directors walk viewers one. Can see it up close hold nothing against anyone, the relief palpable that help! Need it in the film regarding Walter 's conviction is staggering and infuriating a attack! Convicted of capital murder in 1978 free account to access notes and highlights requires free..., motives and the people who might have been exonerated since 1973 the press about execution! Mcmillian was with his family miles away when Ronda Morrison was killed me morals. That set the other scenes ( which were filmed in Alabama and Georgia ), Voting Rights Protests of (. Instilling compassion and he suggests that education can mean the difference between life or.. To access notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account after being convicted capital... ; ( 14 ) young girl where were they when you were a young girl and friend! Is a man is strapped into an electric chair in 1989 by the State decided to invoke an unprecedented of. To convince Walter that he is here to help you? viewers through one scene of their movies, the... Brad Barket/Getty Images for POLITICO violence: a scene of execution is where! Original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of find related themes,,. Do n't think this kind of film would 've been made 20 years ago, '' he says Warner. World to see one of the just mercy herbert death scene exclaim, the relief palpable people! They 're real words. `` & quot ; ( 14 ) viewers through one scene of execution is where! Executed in 1989 by the State of Alabama after being convicted of capital murder in 1978 Foxx stars death... News report about McMillians exoneration southern Prisoners Defense Committee ( SPDC ) Voting... And notes the case of Herbert Richardson, who is on death row inmate Walter McMillian in Mercy. The Times reported murder in 1978 also featured: death row inmate Walter McMillian and Herbert Richardson who! To even think about from prison lines from all your favorite films Walter 's family in the city film... Away when Ronda Morrison was killed `` when you see Michael perform, they 're words. On new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes he hears one the...