Bryan Stevenson
1959– — USA
Era: Modern
Brilliance: 7/10 | Stewardship: 10/10 | Composite Index: 70
Just Mercy. Fighting to fix America's broken justice system.
"The opposite of poverty is not wealth. The opposite of poverty is justice."
Biography
Bryan Stevenson is a lawyer and social justice advocate who founded the Equal Justice Initiative to defend the condemned, exonerated, and incarcerated. Through decades of litigation, he has challenged mass incarceration and secured freedom for over 140 death row inmates, fundamentally reshaping American criminal justice discourse. His memoir 'Just Mercy' became a bestseller and film, exposing systemic racism in the legal system.
Key Facts
- Founded the Equal Justice Initiative in 1989 with just $100,000 in funding
- Successfully argued Atkins v. Virginia before the Supreme Court, barring execution of intellectually disabled individuals
- Has represented over 135 death row inmates and secured exonerations for more than 140 wrongly convicted people
- 'Just Mercy' was adapted into a 2019 film starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx
- Teaches at New York University Law School and has been named one of America's 100 Most Influential People
One lawyer fixed death row. Here's how he's saving America.
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