Product Description

Dennis Fritz was an ordinary middle-aged man leading an ordinary life, when, on May 8, 1987, he was on his way to jail on charges of rape and murder. An overzealous prosecutor bent on winning relied on flimsy circumstantial evidence and Dennis was convicted and sentenced to life in prison while his co-defendant, Ronnie Williamson was sentenced to death. After twelve years of incarceration, with the help of Barry Scheck of the Innocence Project, and DNA testing, Dennis and Ronnie were exonerated and the real killer is found guilty. On April 15, 1999, Dennis and Ronnie walk free from prison.

"The story of the unwarranted prosecution and wrongful conviction of Dennis Fritz is compelling and fascinating. After serving eleven years for a murder he did not commit, Dennis was exonerated and had the strength and courage to put his life back together." —John Grisham

"As I write these words, there have been one hundred eighty-one post-conviction DNA exonerations in America. The exonerated, many crime victims and their families (including the Carter family from the Fri and Williamson case) are the heart and soul of this movement. In this unique and brave community of survivors, there is no more decent and dignified a man, nor a more gentle soul, than Dennis Fritz. For eight years he has unstintingly supported our work in every way possible, re-living what are often very painful memories in service to a just cause. And now he has had the fortitude to tell his whole story. As always, I am in awe of his courage and humbled by his efforts." —Barry C. Scheck Co-Director The Innocence Project

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #482058 in Books
• Published on: 2006-10-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 458 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781931643955
• Condition: USED - LIKE NEW
• Notes:
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
In April 1999, Fritz walked out of court a free man after spending 11 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. He maintained his innocence from day one against the pressure of detectives, prosecutors, the judge, and the jury. The tide began to turn after Barry Scheck's Innocence Project took on his case. While the blow-by-blow descriptions of Fritz's arrest, hearing, trial, and prison life can be tedious, this book is hard to put down. Readers will keep wondering when someone is going to listen to Fritz and do the right thing, but in the meantime it's almost like watching a train wreck in slow motion. In the process of sharing his story, Fritz comes across as truly remarkable and resilient. The only thing missing from the book is the story of his life since his release. Did the prosecutor and detectives express any remorse? What of the details of the real murderer's conviction? And how has the victim's family fared? There should be plenty of buzz for this book as John Grisham's "The Innocent Man" (not available for advance review), which tells the story of Fritz's also-exonerated codefendant, Ron Williamson, is due to be released at the same time. Recommended.Karen Sandlin Silverman, Ctr. for Applied Research, Philadelphia Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information. -- Library Journal (Wednesday, November 01, 2006)

About the Author
Before his conviction, Dennis Fritz taught middle school science and coached football, basketball and track. Since his release, Dennis has been enjoying his freedom to the fullest He is a spokesman for the Innocence Project at fundraising events and works first hand with inmates. He serves as a board member of the Coalition to Demolish the Death Penalty.

Customer Reviews

Harrowing and Important
JOURNEY TOWARD JUSTICE is an important book because it shows how the "winning is everything" attitude of our society in general has infected our criminal justice system as well. Dennis Fritz is a hero not just for persevering in seeking justice for himself, but for continuing to champion justice for the countless imprisoned innocent men and women who were just another notch in the belt or statistic in campaign literature for conscienceless prosecutors. This is a great story of the triumph of love, faith and endurance over careerism, cynicism and indifference. I highly recommend this book, not just for those interested in the criminal justice system, but for every American who naively believes that we have the "greatest system of justice" on earth just because those who run it keep telling us so.
D. W. Linden
author, SAND CREEK

Important and Exciting True Story
This is a very compelling and exciting story about an innocent man who is accused, convicted and imprisoned for 12 years for a crime he did not commit. The detail provided makes it very interesting for any one familiar with our justice system. The book is very well written and the story is amazing. I would recommend it to anyone, especially those in our criminal justice system in any capacity, or anyone thinking about a career in criminal justice.

An unforgettable story
I recommend Dennis Fritz' Journey Toward Justice. It reads like an amazing fiction story that a good writer has created. It was always a shock when I remembered that I was actually reading a true story and that the book was written by the person who lived through all those events.

This book is well-written and fascinating on many levels. It is a good legal suspense book with lots of twists and turns. It is a chilling exposure of corruption by a small-town prosecutor, followed by many others blindly and uncaringly validating the injustices. It is a love story about a family that survives enormously trying times. It is a very thought provoking book with respect to the death penalty. It's an uplifting story about perseverance through crushing circumstances. Read this book - you will have trouble putting it down. You will never forget the story.