Picking Cotton: Our Memoir Of Injustice And Redemption

Content warning: The guide contains discussions of rape, sexual assault, and racism that appear in the source text.

From the moment Ronald drives to the police station to prove his innocence, he and his family members know that he will likely be convicted for a crime he did not commit. Since his adolescence, Ronald was a victim of unfair targeting by the police, who added false charges to his juvenile record. This is compounded by poor treatment from his lawyer, who convinced him to plead guilty to attempted rape in order to lessen his sentence. The detectives on Jennifer's case made it clear from the beginning that they had no intention of investigating Ronald's innocence, and the judge at his first sentencing did not hesitate to believe that Ronald was “one of the most dangerous men he had ever met” (93).

After his second conviction, Ronald faces a crossroads. He makes his peace with the fact that he may never get out of prison. His approach to experiencing racism and unjust incarceration is to maintain his humanity and not succumb to the temptation of becoming a criminal just because he has been branded one. When he learns of Poole's presence in the prison, he has the desire for revenge and even makes a shank to kill him with.