George Clooney buys screen rights to The Innocent Man
Jan 14, 2007
Warner Independent Pictures and Smoke House partners George Clooney and Grant Heslov bought in December 2006 screen rights to John Grisham’s nonfiction book The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town.
In an unusual alliance of star power George Clooney, the Hollywood actor and producer, is joining forces with John Grisham, the bestselling author, to create films dedicated to exposing miscarriages of justice.
Details are still being worked out in the Grisham deal, but Clooney and Heslov are solely producing at this point.
Grisham, who has blocked attempts to turn some of his novels into films, has agreed to let Clooney make one based on his first non-fiction book, The Innocent Man. Sources close to the 51-year-old author say that other films, television dramas and documentaries may follow.
Even before studios stopped paying outrageous sums for books, Grisham and his longtime editor-dealmaker David Gernert changed the way they sold his titles. After a self-imposed hiatus on deals, Grisham returned but became more interested in quality control and less interested in big paydays.
Published in October by Doubleday, The Innocent Man is the true story of a gross miscarriage of justice that sent Ron Williamson to Oklahoma’s death row for 11 years for a murder he did not commit. Among the flimsy evidence: eyewitness testimony from the man ultimately convicted of the murder.
Grisham ultimately will be paid a seven-figure against gross participation deal if movie gets made. His approval of the deal came only after several conversations with Clooney and Heslov and after sparking to their Oscar-nominated film Good Night, and Good Luck.
Comments
Having just finished reading “The Innocent Man”, which I found compelling, I was left with a sense of disbelief at the seemingly incompetent and corrupt local law enforcement and legal system. I was surprised that nobody seemed to have lost their job and that District Attorney Bill Peterson still held that position today.
My interest piqued I sought out more information about the case and found a website set up by Mr Peterson addressing John Grishams book. His section on “Exposing The Truth” is a must read for those who wish to be able to take a balanced view of the investigation and prosecution of Ron Williams and Dennis Fritz. He is clearly bitter towards Grisham, and I don’t accept several of his ascertains and their significance, but I do think he makes some very valid points regarding “The Innocent Man” and how the facts are spun for dramatic effect. The bottom line is that 2 men were undoubtedly wrongly convicted so there had to be problems with the system, but while John Grisham would leave you with ideas of incompetence, corruption and a vendetta against the 2 defendants, I now believe this to be far from reality.
The Innocent Man puts the Ada law enforcement and legal system itself on trial and puts the case for the prosecution; it’s only fair that you should also hear the case for the defence before making up your mind.
http://www.billpetersondistrictattorney.com/
the system failed. there were more than 2
men they convicted. these officials should be gone, not all of the officals.read what the judge said when he dismissed charges and what judge said abou the libel
case.
john brown must b 1 of “them“ron n dennis were railroaded…very plain 2 c…they killed 2 birds w/1 stone…closed a murder case n got the drunk sick man off the street…some people r that cold n worst than the murder…they were all in on it,not directly,just 4 not caring enough…everyone kinder knew what was happening.WOW a old blind lawyer,looking at hair samples…how !!!mr. brown r u blind like ron’s layer…
I was very happy to hear this story is going to be made into a movie, Its time to show the world what happen in Ada. I see that John Grisham is going to be paid a good deal, I just want to know if Dennis and Ron’s family getting anything?????????? After all they are the ones who suffered. After reading this novel I was so sad for this guys. But now their life story will be in a movie. GOD IS GREAT!!!!!!!
Can’t wait to see this movie.
First, I want to thank Mr. Grisham. Thank you, for using your talent and superior knowledge of the law to shed light on an example of a gross miscarriage of justice in our country’s legal system. As the dust jacket warned me long before I had the courage to read The Innocent Man, I was infuriated. Second, this book moved me to want to utilize my love of legal research to become involved. I plan to contact the VA Innocence Project and volunteer my time.
And last but not least, Bill Peterson. Wow. I came here to send a message to my favorite author and was greeted with “John Brown’s” plea to “look at both sides.” Well, I did that, and then some. Hence me being a paralegal on my way to law school. So I went to Mr. Peterson’s website. I didn’t know whether to laugh or puke. Talk about contradictions and suppositions! I was outraged, at first, then I had to laugh, he backed up nearly everything John wrote in the book! I really hope that elaborate website was not created on taxpayors time or money, I’d demand a refund. So I kept researching and just a quick public records search into old court cases again backed up that there is something smelly in Ada and it isn’t the trash.
I’d love to see those guilty persons in Ada, those guilty of delivering injustice brought up on charges and incarcerated.
george i have not met you. john get me an up-date if possible my health is fair. thanks !bjl