Marked for Life
One Man's Fight for Justice from the Inside
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5.0 • 3 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
A powerful memoir of resilience and hope, Marked for Life is the true story of Isaac Wright Jr.'s fight against a corrupt justice system that wrongfully imprisoned him for life, and his inspiring journey to reclaim his freedom and become a champion for the oppressed.
In 1989, Isaac Wright Jr. was a successful hip hop producer and entrepreneur, having worked with Run-DMC and co-founding his wife's music group, The Cover Girls. But his life took a shocking turn when he was falsely accused of being a drug kingpin and sentenced to life plus 70 years in prison.
Realizing that no one else would fight for his innocence, Wright took matters into his own hands. He educated himself in the law, becoming a skilled legal mind and representing himself and fellow inmates. Despite facing corruption and threats from all sides, Wright persevered, uncovering the evidence that would ultimately exonerate him.
Marked for Life is not only a gripping account of Wright's battle against injustice, but also a powerful indictment of the racism and inequality plaguing America's justice system. Wright's journey from wrongfully convicted prisoner to passionate advocate for the marginalized is an inspiration to anyone seeking empowerment, social justice, and prison reform.
This unforgettable memoir, which inspired the hit ABC series For Life, is a must-read for anyone interested in civil rights, Black history, and the fight against discrimination. Wright's story is a testament to the human spirit and a rallying cry for change in a deeply flawed system.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Wright recounts in this gripping memoir how his wrongful imprisonment led to his law career. In 1989, Wright was a music producer in New Jersey when he was targeted by Somerset County prosecutor Nicholas Bissell (who would later be convicted of embezzlement and tax fraud, and killed himself in a standoff with U.S. marshals) and charged as a drug kingpin, despite evidence pointing to the contrary. Wright explains how detectives and prosecutors used "institutional extortion" to offer people in his circle lessened sentences if they helped perpetuate the lies that led to his eventual incarceration. Portrayed negatively in the courtroom and by the media and saddled with an indifferent court-appointed lawyer, Wright used the prison law library to educate himself on his case and became an expert advocate for himself and many of his fellow inmates. In addition to the mechanics of the justice system, Wright viscerally details the unjust conditions inside prisons and humanizes inmates who often lack the resources to adequately defend themselves. Representing himself at his postconviction relief hearing in 1996, Wright got a detective to confess to police misconduct in the case; after his conviction was overturned, Wright earned his law degree and is currently a practicing attorney. Shot through with hard-earned wisdom and resilience, this is a powerful portrait of overcoming immeasurable odds.
Customer Reviews
Marked For Life
This book is profoundly important to our culture and should be mandatory reading. All people especially black and brown people need to know and understand how there in a systematic lack of justice in this country for us. The more you know. I applaud Issac for staying his ground and not taking a plea deal. I could go on. I want my teenage grandsons to read this book.