Chasing Justice

Kerry Max Cook was 19 when he was arrested in Tyler, Texas, in 1977 and charged with the capital murder of a young woman. He was convicted and sentenced to death, even though he was innocent.

On death row, Cook had to survive violent fellow prisoners and harsh living conditions while also contending with a legal system that seemed intent on silencing him and unwilling to acknowledge its error. His persistence, together with the efforts of a dedicated team of attorneys, eventually led to the reversal of his death sentence, which came 11 days before his scheduled execution in late 1996.

The account is told by Cook himself, in his own words. Beyond his personal story, the book raises questions about the American judicial system and the death penalty, and it speaks to readers who have had to face difficult circumstances and find a way through them.