Williams gets justice, redemption

By Johnny Jackson, Clayton News Daily, January 28, 2007

So, what of Willie Williams’ life up to this point?

The now 44-year-old man was convicted in 1985 of rape — a conviction reportedly based upon eyewitness testimony, despite the man’s insisting he was innocent.

The conviction landed the younger Williams in a state prison.

Almost 22 years later, DNA test results generated by the Georgia Innocence Project have unlinked Williams from the crime. It is an apparent case of mistaken identity that cost the man 20 years of his life.

To say this is a travesty is an understatement.

What opportunities might have passed Williams by as he sat destitute in his prison cell?

What life-altering events did he not experience for being locked up behind bars?

And, how does he restart his life now as an older man?

As is human nature, and the increasing trend these days, one wonders where is this man’s restitution?

“Shawshank Redemption” is one of my favorite films of all time, partly because of the poetic justice and injustice in the story that marries the two in a reality that strongly mimics real life.

In real life, Williams too seems to have gone far beyond his anger and resentment. He has instead — and confoundedly so — decided to accept his freedom and forgive.

As a spectator, I am quietly outraged that so much was taken from him. Likewise, I am unimpressed with the judicial system that convicted him in the first place, whether he is one of few wrongly convicted or not.

The good and bad in this is that the judicial system that helps free this innocent man was also the system that imprisoned him.

It is all a glaring reminder that the system is not perfect and not all justice comes carefully packaged as we would like to see.

But at least, we can rejoice in this justice for Williams. His newfound freedom is his justice and must be his ultimate redemption.