While the book may not be the most well written, it is very thought provoking and emotional. Jennifer's chapters sometimes seemed a bit disconnected from herself. I am sure that this was due to the nature of the material. I found myself hurting for both Jennifer and Ronald, as well as some of their family members. I cannot imagine what either of them went through. ( )

Jennifer was raped while in college. She identifies her attacker as Ronald Cotton. Ronald is sent to prison maintaining his innocence. After 11 years DNA in a case that occurred the same night, in the same neighborhood, is sent to the lab to link Ronald Cotton to that case comes back as someone else's. Ronald's case is eventually dismissed and he is released from prison. Jennifer and Ronald join forces and speak about the injustices to be sure this not happen to others. ( )

Read in about 2012 - Amazing story of Winston-Salem native, Jennifer Thompson, who was raped while student at Elon College. She helped convict teenager Ronald Cotton who, many years later, met another prisoner who bragged about being the rapist. Once exonerated and released, Ronald and Jennifer have devoted incredible time to traveling the nation and shedding light on how the criminal justice system has a myriad of faults. ( )

There is a lot of racism in this book, both institutional and individual. It’s very good and explores a lot of complexities in the legal system. It is frustrating at times to listen to racism from someone who should know better, but other than that it’s a good read. ( )

5657. Picking Cotton Our Memoir of Injustice and Redemption, by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton with Erin Torneo (read 3 Nov 2019) This is a moving and fantastic book. It is a book co-authored by the victim of a brutal rape in North Carolina and the man she mistakenly identified as the rapist--at two separate trials. That man, Ronald Cotton, is the co-author (with help from Erin Torneo) of the book. Because of the false identification Cotton served 11 years in prison before DNA evidence showed he did not commit the rape. Then, after two years, Thompson and Cotton met and eventually became friends, and have appeared often at meetings to tell the story. I found the book incredibly moving and tear-jerking. The story is told, alternately, by the victim and the accused. The account of the rape by the victim is intensely filled with hate for the man she believed was the rapist. The trial was in the 1980's. If it had been earlier the accused would have been sentenced to death. The account of Cotton's time in prison is full of interest How fortunate that the United States Supreme Court had found that the death sentence could not be imposed for rape--else the innocent man might well have been killed by the State,. This is a searing book and very instructive on the doubtful value of eye-witness testimony. ( )