The book begins with a somewhat autobiographical introduction by the author, in which he describes how he became both interested in, and a practitioner of, defense law. The introduction concludes with the author’s enumeration of three principles of justice that he learned not only as a result of attending law school, but of listening to people (including his grandmother) with first-hand experience of how the laws of the American legal system tended to work in relation to those perceived as less worthy of justice.

The main body of the book follows two separate, yet related, narrative lines. The first follows / recounts the case of Walter McMillian, a black man wrongfully accused, and eventually convicted, of the death of a young white woman. The author describes the process by which he became suspected of, and incriminated in, the killing; his mockery of a trial, and his being sentenced to death; his long wait on death row; and the processes undertaken by the author to first reduce Walter’s sentence and then, eventually, to get him exonerated. Throughout this particular narrative line, the author makes reference to the history of racism in the American legal system; the corruption and professional misconduct within the (often white) authorities, including sheriffs, lawyers, and judges; and how he (the author) and others like him, who advocate for the wrongly convicted and poorly sentenced, are viewed as dangerous and irresponsible by those authorities.

Alternating with chapters focused on the case of Walter McMillian are chapters that explore the circumstances of other individuals treated poorly by the American justice system. These individuals include the author himself, who is African-American and who recounts, in the book, an experience of being confronted by white police officers, being treated unlawfully, and being taunted by white neighbors in what he had perceived, up to that point, as a relatively welcoming neighborhood. He also describes, in some detail, the experiences of other badly treated individuals: women, the mentally and emotionally ill, youth, and some people who fall into more than one of those categories, not to mention those who identify as non-white.

The author also describes encounters with individuals whose experiences and actions teach him about the breadth and power of compassion and hope; individuals whose courage inspire him to face his own fears and uncertainties; and individuals who challenge the preconceptions and assumptions of both the reader and the author himself. Meanwhile, his commentary on / narration of Walter McMillian’s case eventually reveals that the author was ultimately successful in all his goals: getting Walter’s sentence reduced, getting his conviction overturned, and bringing the systemic issues raised by what Walter went through to the attention of the public. Throughout all these explorations, the author continues his exploration of the relationship between history and the present: specifically, the history of the American legal system but also the history of the country as a whole.

The narrative concludes with a brief description of Walter’s death, and a more detailed description of the author’s attendance at his funeral. The author comments on how he spoke Walter’s eulogy; how he (the author) spoke of everything that had been learned and/or changed as a result of Walter’s experience; and how there was always room, hope, or possibility for even more transformation – that is, for a just mercy that could be applied to, and/or experienced by, everyone.