May God Have Mercy: A True Story of Crime and Punishment

by John C. Tucker

Book Overview

In 1982, in Grundy, Virginia, a young miner named Roger Coleman was sentenced to death for the murder of his sister-in-law. Ten years later, Coleman's case had become an international cause celebre as... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385332947
• ISBN13: 9780385332941
• Release Date: August 1998
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.2" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

May God hand mercy

It turned out Rogerwas guilty by testing his dna in 2007. Many people were let down. But the truth is always the truth. This book needs updated.

Beyond Reasonable Doubt

John Tucker does a excellent job in presenting a balanced approach to an unbalanced trial. This was an engrossing tale of the darker side of our judicial system. Regardless who committed the murder, Roger Coleman did not receive a fair and just trial. While we will never know the truth, it seems that many miscarriages of justice occurred throughout this long process and there are many who will atone for Roger's death--the judge, the defense team, the prosecutors, the Governor and his staff, the Appeals Courts, the police and investigators, and the Almighty Supreme Court. The one aspect of the murder that was never discussed was the motive for the crime, assuming Roger was the murderer? Well written and worth the read.

Very engrossing and detailed look at death row

This is an excellent book. You feel compassion for Roger Coleman as the wheels of justice turn ever so slowly, while keeping in mind that a brutal crime has been committed by someone, maybe Roger himself. I came away feeling an innocent man was wronged, but am less harsh toward the "system" as I am toward Roger's incompetent legal defense.Capital punishment is bound to get people riled up on both sides of the issue. Try and leave your political leanings aside as you read this. Focus only on the case and how it's handled. Similar to "Mean Justice" (very good as well), I was more struck by the mistakes that happen early on in a trial that ultimately take you to the unfortunate conclusion. Things spiral out of control and good people can't make the difference. I recommend this book highly. It's a troubling but necessary tale to tell.

Compassionate & Haunting True Crime

I have been a supporter of the death penalty for many years especially where the victims are innocent children but this book clearly demonstrates the need for a review of a system that allows a person such as Roger Coleman to slip through the cracks.To preclude a person access to natural justice and the due process of law because a brief is filed a day late is bureaucracy at its worst.The allocation of defence councel with no real experience in capital murder, the apparent "botched" investigation, the zealous pursuit to execute Roger Coleman at all cost is a sad indictment of the American Judicial System.The book did not change my views on the death penalty. I believe that unprovoked murder is a capital crime and the appropriate penalty is death. However I kept hoping as I turned the pages that a miracle was going to occur, sadly it was not to be and it would appear an innocent man was executed.

Amazingly powerful

It is hard for me to imagine anyone reading John C. Tucker's "May God Have Mercy" without being profoundly affected by the topic, which is the trial and execution of Roger Coleman for the brutal rape and murder of Wanda McCoy. While a book dealing mostly with the appeals process could be dull and confusing, Tucker does an astonishing job of presenting complex legal concepts and rules in clear, simple language. In so doing, Tucker allows the personal stories of Coleman and those in his life to take center stage, and those stories are powerful and moving.One of the more common defenses of the death penalty is that the entire system is set up to cater to the defendants and that it's almost impossible for an innocent person to slip through the cracks. Sure, the cacophony of "I'm innocent" on death row might be overwhelming, but there's an obvious lack of credibility there. But the case of Roger Coleman stands as an exception. It's not that Tucker proves beyond a reasonable doubt that Coleman was innocent (nor should he have to). But there is substantial evidence to suggest that Coleman was innocent, from the prosecution's almost-impossible theory to the identification of a thoroughly plausible suspect.Tucker takes the reader through the entire case, from the initial investigation to the final, tragic resolution. In the process, we meet attorney Kitty Behan, who handled most of Coleman's appeals. Behan worked tremendous hours at a thankless job that she had to know was an uphill battle. Her biggest task was to get a court actually to listen to the evidence suggesting her client's innocence. Before she assumed the case, one of her predecessors had filed a paper a single day late (and even that was debatable). The rest of the case seemed to be a battle to convince reluctant courts that an innocent man's life was more important than a postmark. Though Tucker exhibits restraint in describing the case, the picture of Behan that emerges is one of a true hero, an attorney whose work should be appreciated even by those in favor of speedier executions. At the expense of her own health, she did everything she could for her client, and she did so not only competently (an understatement) but ethically.In the end, though, the story is Coleman's, and it is a painful story to read--but an eminently important one. Maybe Coleman was guilty, and maybe he was innocent. (The facts seem all but conclusive that he was innocent.) But if the ultimate crime deserves the ultimate punishment, surely the evidence raised that indicated his innocence should have been heard. Even the most ardent proponent of capital punishment should be uncomfortable reading about the case of Roger Coleman.Finally, while the story is harrowing, special kudos is due the author. The labyrinth of state and federal appeals is confusing, but Tucker takes the reader through that maze easily, almost making the appeals process seem clear. Tucker's