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Quiz about John Grisham The Innocent Man

John Grisham: "The Innocent Man" Quiz

Grisham's first work of non-fiction about wrongly convicted Ron Williamson, found guilty at trial and sent to death row.

A multiple-choice quiz by steph26291. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
steph26291

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
292,043

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
317

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Ron Williamson had a hopeful future, being a gifted athlete and a star college baseball player. Which professional baseball team offered him a $50,000 signing bonus when he was 18?
Hint

Detroit Tigers

Oakland Athletics

Texas Rangers

New York Yankees

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. What was the crime for which Ron Williamson served his first night of many behind bars? Hint

All of these

Speeding

Drunk and disorderly

Drink driving

NEXT>

Question 3 of 10

3. The teenage Ron Williamson was spoilt and pushy wanting nicer clothes than his parents could afford. What did his father do to afford them? Hint

He had two jobs.

He sold his valuables.

He stole the clothes.

He bought second-hand clothes for himself.

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. When Ron Williamson lived in Tulsa, he was charged with two awful crimes against two women. Why did he face these charges? Hint

The women filed false claims

He was misidentified as another person.

He confessed

DNA was found as proof

NEXT>

Question 5 of 10

5. Drinking, drugs, failed dreams, a divorce and false charges evidently took their toll. What specific mental illnesses does Ron Williamson have? Hint

Anorexia and bulimia

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

Dementia and epilepsy

Obsessive-compulsive disorder and enuresis

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. What was the name of the victim Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz supposedly killed?
Hint

Donna Capstick

Dalila Hawking

Denice Haraway

Debbie Carter

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. What factors meant that Ron Williamson did not have a fair trial when he was sentenced to death row? Hint

'Brady' violations by the prosecution were ignored.

All of these

Ignoring 'corrupt' tactics used by the police and prosecution.

Failure to raise the issue of Ron's mental incompetance.

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. For what reason did the actual murderer avoid providing evidence (ie. fingerprints) in the original investigation? Hint

He moved to another state.

He was not linked with the victim, therefore not a suspect.

He literally went unnoticed.

He had drug deals with the police.

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. DNA finally came to light proving Williamson and Fritz's innocence. Whose DNA was found at the murder scene? Hint

Glen Gore

Tommy Ward

Ricky Joe Simmons

Karl Fontenot

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. Only five years after coming out of death row, Ron Williamson was given six months to live due to what fatal illness? Hint

Lung cancer

Cirrhosis of the liver

Leukemia

Brain tumour

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Ron Williamson had a hopeful future, being a gifted athlete and a star college baseball player. Which professional baseball team offered him a $50,000 signing bonus when he was 18?

Answer: Oakland Athletics

Back in his home town Ada, he was seen as a hero. An injury in his arm, however, failed him. As he had nothing to fall back on, and baseball was his only dream, he fell into a spiral of drink, drugs and depression.

2. What was the crime for which Ron Williamson served his first night of many behind bars?

Answer: Drunk and disorderly

Although he and his friend (Bruce Leba) were stopped for speeding, it was Bruce that was speeding and drink driving as Ron was in the back of the car. They were both very much drunk.

3. The teenage Ron Williamson was spoilt and pushy wanting nicer clothes than his parents could afford. What did his father do to afford them?

Answer: He bought second-hand clothes for himself.

'Ronnie' was very popular at school, thus becoming fussy with the clothes he wore as his appearance was important to him.

4. When Ron Williamson lived in Tulsa, he was charged with two awful crimes against two women. Why did he face these charges?

Answer: The women filed false claims

As the book says, '...the idea was ridiculous; women practically threw themselves at him.' Ron was found Not Guilty of these crimes; however, they humiliated him and didn't help his defence in any way for the Debbie Carter case.
(DNA hadn't been discovered at this point)

5. Drinking, drugs, failed dreams, a divorce and false charges evidently took their toll. What specific mental illnesses does Ron Williamson have?

Answer: Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

There are several points in this book where different doctors give Ron a mental evaluation and the list seems endless. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are constantly occurring and best explain Ron's behaviour in relation to his past.

6. What was the name of the victim Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz supposedly killed?

Answer: Debbie Carter

Debra Sue Carter was murdered Dec-8-1982, when she was 21. She was from the small town Ada in Oklahoma and was killed after she got off work at the Coachlight Club. She was not killed by the accused, Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz.

7. What factors meant that Ron Williamson did not have a fair trial when he was sentenced to death row?

Answer: All of these

The 'Brady' violations include withholding evidence from the defence regarding the confession of Ricky Joe Simmons, despite the fact that Ron's 'dream' confession was allowed to be shown to the jury. Nothing was said to show that Ron had always persistently denied the crime.
The worst mistake of Ron's lawyer, Barney Ward, was failure to question Ron's mental health when he was so obviously sick.

8. For what reason did the actual murderer avoid providing evidence (ie. fingerprints) in the original investigation?

Answer: He had drug deals with the police.

Glen Gore was the most obvious suspect as he was the last person seen with Debbie Carter. The reason as to why he was never a suspect and why no hair or saliva samples or fingerprints were taken was because the police would 'turn a blind eye' to his crimes.

9. DNA finally came to light proving Williamson and Fritz's innocence. Whose DNA was found at the murder scene?

Answer: Glen Gore

Glen Gore 'slipped' through the system when investigations were taking place, despite the fact he was the last person seen with Debbie Carter.
Ricky Joe Simmons was a drug addict who confessed to the murder, although no evidence links him to the crime in any way.
Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot were wrongly accused of the murder of Denice Haraway through forced confessions from the Ada police. Although this death was unrelated to Debbie Carter's murder, it had a profound impact on the lives of Ron Williamson and Dennis Fritz.

10. Only five years after coming out of death row, Ron Williamson was given six months to live due to what fatal illness?

Answer: Cirrhosis of the liver

Sadly, Ron deteriorated and died a lot sooner than six months, at 51 years old. He very much abused alcohol; however, it seems unjust after what he went through. Fourteen years of his life was behind bars thus he couldn't touch alcohol, and he also went through long periods of sobriety after his release as he fought the alcoholism he soon slipped back into.

Source: Author steph26291

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