Understanding "Just Mercy" - Chapters 1 to 6

What inspired Bryan Stevenson to start the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI)?

• A wish to contest the death penalty

• The prosperity of his law firm

• A profitable book contract

• Pressure from peers

Tags

CCSS.RI.9-10.6

Can you identify who Walter McMillian is and explain his importance in the initial six chapters?

• A legal professional assisting Bryan Stevenson

• An inmate on death row whose case is a key part of the narrative

• A judicial authority who is against Stevenson's efforts

• A fellow campaigner

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

Where does the main action take place in the first six chapters of "Just Mercy"?

• New York City

• Monroeville, Alabama

• Washington, D.C.

• Atlanta, Georgia

How does Stevenson describe his first encounter with a prisoner on death row?

• Scary and confrontational

• Friendly and welcoming

• Uncomfortable but significant

• Businesslike and unemotional

Tags

CCSS.L.9-10.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

Which historical personality is referred to in the book as having a link to Monroeville?

• Martin Luther King Jr.

• Rosa Parks

• Harper Lee

• Frederick Douglass

What does Stevenson suggest is a typical problem encountered by death row prisoners?

• They all say they are not guilty

• They have had outstanding legal help

• They usually come from wealthy backgrounds

• They have been let down by the legal system

Tags

CCSS.RI.9-10.1

CCSS.RI.9-10.2

CCSS.RI.9-10.6

What does the title "Just Mercy" mean in the first six chapters?

• It means the fair treatment of everyone by the law

• It's a plea for kinder treatment of people in jail

• It's the name of a legal rule talked about in the book

• It's the title of a legal case mentioned in the book

Tags

CCSS.L.9-10.5

CCSS.RI.9-10.1

CCSS.RI.9-10.2

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

CCSS.W.9-10.9

In the book, Stevenson discusses a rule that directs his work, which is:

• "An eye for an eye"

• "Every individual is more than the worst act they've ever committed"

• "Delayed justice is denied justice"

• "Innocent until proven guilty"

Tags

CCSS.RI.9-10.1

CCSS.RI.9-10.2

CCSS.RI.9-10.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.1

What concerns Stevenson about the selection of jurors in Walter McMillian's trial?

• The jury was entirely white

• The jury was influenced with money

• The jury was not from the local area

• The jury consisted of law enforcement officers

Tags

CCSS.RI.9-10.1

CCSS.RI.9-10.3

CCSS.RI.9-10.6

CCSS.RI.9-10.8

What does Stevenson suggest as a reason for the disadvantage of poor people in the legal system?

• They are less likely to be educated

• They can't afford good legal help

• Judges don't take them seriously

• They are more likely to be guilty

Tags

CCSS.RI.9-10.1

CCSS.RI.9-10.2

CCSS.RI.9-10.3

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.6

CCSS.RI.9-10.8