Ron Williamson
Ronald "Ron" Keith Williamson (born February 3, 1953 in Ada , Oklahoma , † December 4, 2004 near Tulsa , Oklahoma) was an American baseball player and a victim of a miscarriage of justice . He was wrongly convicted of murder and spent eleven years on death row . His life served as the template for John Grisham's book The Prisoner .
Life
Ron Williamson grew up in Ada and was the youngest of three children. In his school days he was a successful athlete and received several awards. His main interest was baseball. He played on the Asher High School team. He then turned down a scholarship from the University of Oklahoma to sign a contract with the Oakland Athletics . After various club changes, he suffered a shoulder injury, after which he had to take a break for several years. Through an old friend who played for the New York Yankees , he got a fixed-term contract, which he was unable to fulfill due to recurring shoulder pain. He then ended his career at the age of 24. He returned to Oklahoma, where he tried several jobs to earn a living. However, he became addicted to alcohol and drugs and increasingly suffered from mental disorders.
Court hearing
On December 8, 1982, Debbie Carter was raped and murdered in her home. She worked at the Coachlight Bar in Ada, where Williamson and his friend Dennis Fritz frequented. Five years later, Ron and Dennis were convicted under flimsy evidence; Williamson to death , Fritz to life imprisonment . Hair found at the crime scene served as evidence, which was assigned to the two without a compelling scientific analysis. Both declared innocent in court.
Thanks to Williamson's dedicated friends and relatives, several postponements could be obtained. Finally, a re-investigation into the case was ordered. This revealed that the real killer was Glen Gore. Williamson and Fritz were released and fought for compensation.
Due to poor detention conditions, Williamson's mental health deteriorated.
Williamson eventually died in a nursing home at the age of 51 of cirrhosis of the liver .
literature
- John Grisham: Der Gefangene , Heyne Verlag, 2008, ISBN 978-3-453-81174-4
Web links
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Williamson, Ron |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Williamson, Ronald Keith (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American baseball player and wrongly convicted murderer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 3rd February 1953 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Ada , Oklahoma |
| DATE OF DEATH | 4th December 2004 |
| Place of death | Tulsa , Oklahoma |