Ghost of the Innocent Man: A True Story of Trial and Redemption
Benjamin Rachlin
2017, 344 pages
Nonfiction
Ghost of the Innocent Man marks the publishing debut of Benjamin Rachlin, a native of Concord.
Ghost presents the story of Willie J. Grimes, a man wrongfully convicted of rape in 1988 who, despite repeated attempts to appeal his case, serves more than two decades in prison. Quiet, good-natured and steadfast in his innocence, Grimes is a figure readers will quickly rally behind. His remarkable story will draw readers in from the very first page.
While sharing Grimes’s story, Rachlin also explores the origins of the Innocence Project, an organization that sprang up in response to repeated wrongful convictions being overturned, and which works to exonerate innocent victims that are imprisoned. Taken together, these subjects highlight the advances made in forensic science over the past two decades, and the mistakes that they’ve unfortunately shed light upon. This is a thorough, well-researched account that is every bit as gripping as an episode of Law & Order.
Juliana GalloConcord Public Library
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