Freeing The Innocent: How We Did It - A Handbook For The Wrongly Convicted [Paperback]

Michael Pardue (Author), Becky Pardue (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 8, 2005

Michael Pardue was released in February 2001 from an Alabama state prison after 28 years of wrongful imprisonment for three murders he did not commit. There wasn't any DNA-testable evidence in Michael's case. So Michael and his wife Becky decided to write a self-help handbook explaining the tactics and strategies they used, to help give guidance to other wrongly convicted persons and his or her supporters. Freeing The Innocent is an industrial-strength, no-nonsense, one-of-a-kind book aimed at accomplishing one objective - helping a wrongly convicted person out of his or her horrific predicament. The book has four sections: Part I covers what Becky and others did "On the Outside" to help free Michael. Part II tells what Michael did "On the Inside" to help free himself. Part III reveals how the efforts of Michael and his outside supporters meshed in "Fighting the System and Winning." The Appendix discusses legal aspects of working to undo a wrongful conviction.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Michael Pardue was convicted in Alabama of three murders in 1973 at the age of 17. He was sentenced to life in prison. After successfully getting his convictions overturned, he was released in February 2001 after 28 years of wrongful imprisonment. Becky Pardue began corresponding with Michael in 1983, and after becoming convinced of his innocence they married in 1988, After Michael's release, he and Becky co-authored Freeing The Innocent as a self-help manual for wrongly convicted persons to be proactive in working towards overturning their own convictions.

Product Details

• Paperback: 82 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace (January 8, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1434837637
• ISBN-13: 978-1434837639
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,814,421 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Oasis of Hope, October 10, 2008

By 

Sursum (Austin, Texas USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Freeing The Innocent: How We Did It - A Handbook For The Wrongly Convicted (Paperback)

If you're reading this, you probably have a loved one or friend who's been wrongly convicted. This book provides some hope, and some specific things you can do -- and that the incarcerated can do -- to move towards their release.

The problem of wrongful convictions is the tragedy about which no one cares -- until it happens to them or someone they love.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Maybe IF the person locked up COULD get help inside!, January 9, 2010

By 

Mikki (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Freeing The Innocent: How We Did It - A Handbook For The Wrongly Convicted (Paperback)

This sounds like it would be a pretty good book. However, the problem I see is that some of these prisoners are denied even getting certain "mail" and also there is quite a bit of thefts among mail that is sent into a prison before the "inmate" even ge'ts it! Your paying a heavy price to send this book, and other items, and most likely the person won't get it. And, should you keep it and share the information with the person on the inside, they are not able to get access to a lawyer, legal forms, the library, etc. I also find that it doesn't serve well for a person who is extremely young and 'fresh' to the system. Also, one that has learning disabilites and is very hard to communicate with in writing due to grammer and spelling. Then there is the speech problem that trying to discuss matters with them takes a LONG amount of time. And, for a person with an auditory processing delay disability, how likely is it for him/her to remember the 3rd sentence when your on the 10th? They are not able to write properly enough to get someone to 'listen' to them without some kind of "outside" help. So, that person isn't that much help to themselves in that situation now are they? I know this to be true, I KNOW an innocent shoved in one of these places. And, he suffers the latter part of what I wrote. He is left to rot and always told no to everything. He's treated like an animal and basic things are even a huge issue. When he complains with a 602, they simply "lose it". NOTHING EVER gets done! As far as their concerned he's trash and that's that. I WISH something like this could be a benefit to alot of people, but seeing how things REALLY work as of recent, that's not likely to happen.