
When Truth Is All You Have
A Memoir of Faith, Justice, and Freedom for the Wrongly Convicted
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Narrated by:
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Jim Frangione
About this listen
“A riveting and infuriating examination of criminal prosecutions, revealing how easy it is to convict the wrong person and how nearly impossible it is to undo the error.” (Washington Post)
"No one has illuminated this problem more thoughtfully and persistently." (Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy)
Jim McCloskey was at a midlife crossroads when he met the man who would change his life. A former management consultant, McCloskey had grown disenchanted with the business world; he enrolled at Princeton Theological Seminary at the age of 37. His first assignment, in 1980, was as a chaplain at Trenton State Prison. Among the inmates was Jorge de los Santos, a heroin addict who'd been convicted of murder years earlier. He swore to McCloskey that he was innocent - and, over time, McCloskey came to believe him. With no legal or investigative training to speak of, McCloskey threw himself into the case. Two years later, thanks to those efforts, Jorge de los Santos walked free, fully exonerated.
McCloskey had found his calling. He established Centurion Ministries, the first group in America devoted to overturning wrongful convictions. Together with his staff and a team of forensic experts, lawyers, and volunteers - through tireless investigation and an unflagging dedication to justice - Centurion has freed 65 innocent prisoners who had been sentenced to life or death.
When Truth Is All You Have is McCloskey's inspirational story, as well as those of the unjustly imprisoned for whom he has fought. Spanning the nation, it is a chronicle of faith and doubt; of triumphant success and shattering failure. It candidly exposes a life of searching and struggle, uplifted by McCloskey's certainty that he had found what he was put on earth to do.
Filled with generosity, humor, and compassion, it is the soul-bearing account of a man who has redeemed innumerable lives - and incited a movement - with nothing more than his unshakeable belief in the truth.
©2020 Jim McCloskey and Philip Lerman (P)2020 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
“[Exoneration] takes an advocate who is tireless, fearless, and dedicated to justice. A man like Jim McCloskey, the dean of all innocence advocates - The Exonerator” (from the foreword by John Grisham)
"A heartfelt and heart-rending story of fighting wrongful convictions...The narrative charts triumphant stories of innocent persons freed, heartbreaking tales of defeat, and disappointing insights into a broken justice system...Compassionate tales from a dedicated warrior for justice." (Kirkus, starred review)
“A riveting and infuriating examination of criminal prosecutions, revealing how easy it is to convict the wrong person and how nearly impossible it is to undo the error. [This book] upends our naive and complacent view of prosecutions.... Full of drama and hope.... In no small part because of McCloskey’s work, Americans have radically reassessed the criminal justice system.... We need many more Jim McCloskeys.” (Washington Post)
“Though generally broaching serious subjects, the writers are able to bring levity at appropriate moments, reflecting McCloskey’s overall philosophy of hope...This will be essential for collections focused on social justice, the wrongly convicted, and spiritual transformation.” (Library Journal, starred review)
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Story
The once idyllic coastal plain of North Carolina is home to a close-knit, rural community that for more than a generation has battled the polluting practices of large-scale farming taking place in its own backyard. After years of frustration and futility, an impassioned cadre of local residents, led by a team of intrepid and dedicated lawyers, filed a lawsuit against one of the world’s most powerful companies—and, miraculously, they won. Wastelands takes us into a legal battle over the future of America’s farmland and the lives of the people who found the courage to fight.
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wow what a engaging eye opening story
- By Debbie on 08-06-22
By: Corban Addison, and others
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Framed
- Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions
- By: John Grisham, Jim McCloskey
- Narrated by: Jim McCloskey, Michael Beck, John Grisham
- Length: 13 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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In his first work of nonfiction since The Innocent Man, #1 bestselling author John Grisham and Centurion Ministries Founder Jim McCloskey share ten harrowing true stories of wrongful convictions. Impeccably researched and grippingly told, Framed offers an inside look at the injustice faced by the victims of the United States criminal justice system.
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Believable but unbelievable
- By kimberly on 10-20-24
By: John Grisham, and others
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You Don't Have to Be Mad to Work Here
- A Psychiatrist’s Life
- By: Benji Waterhouse
- Narrated by: Benji Waterhouse
- Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Unlocking the doors to the psych ward, NHS psychiatrist Dr Benji Waterhouse provides a fly-on-the-padded-wall account of medicine’s most mysterious and controversial speciality. Why would anyone in their right mind choose to be a psychiatrist? Are the solutions to people’s messy lives really within medical school textbooks? And how can vulnerable patients receive the care they need when psychiatry lacks staff, hospital beds and any actual cures?
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Funny and a little dark
- By Aileen G Hannah on 01-23-25
By: Benji Waterhouse
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Witness to a Trial
- A Short Story Prequel to The Whistler
- By: John Grisham
- Narrated by: Mark Deakins
- Length: 54 mins
- Unabridged
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A judge’s first murder trial. A defense attorney in over his head. A prosecutor out for blood and glory. The accused, who is possibly innocent. And the killer, who may have just committed the perfect crime.
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Mislead
- By Anne on 11-05-16
By: John Grisham
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Partners
- A Rogue Lawyer Short Story
- By: John Grisham
- Narrated by: Mark Deakins
- Length: 1 hr and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Sebastian Rudd, rogue lawyer, defends people other lawyers won't go near. It's controversial and dangerous work, which is why Sebastian needs his bodyguard/assistant/sidekick: Partner. So if Sebastian is just about the most unpopular lawyer in town, why is Partner so loyal to him? How did they meet? And what's the real story of this man of few words who's as good with a gun as he is with the law? The surprising answers are all in PARTNERS, John Grisham's first exclusively digital short story.
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I wrote a 2 star review to Rogue Lawyer...
- By Wayne on 04-14-16
By: John Grisham
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The Reckoning
- A Novel
- By: John Grisham
- Narrated by: Michael Beck
- Length: 17 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Pete Banning was Clanton's favorite son, a returning war hero, the patriarch of a prominent family, a farmer, a father, a neighbor, and a faithful member of the Methodist church. Then one cool October morning in 1946, he rose early, drove into town, walked into the church, and calmly shot and killed the Reverend Dexter Bell.
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Time I Won’t Get Back
- By Roma on 10-24-18
By: John Grisham
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Winning in the Digital Age
- Seven Building Blocks of Successful Digital Transformation
- By: Nitin Seth
- Narrated by: Viraj Mishra
- Length: 13 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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The practical handbook for understanding and winning in the post-COVID digital age and becoming a 21st century leader.
By: Nitin Seth
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Life Is Hard
- How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way
- By: Kieran Setiya
- Narrated by: Kieran Setiya
- Length: 5 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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There is no cure for the human condition: life is hard. But Kieran Setiya believes philosophy can help. He offers us a map for navigating rough terrain, from personal trauma to the injustice and absurdity of the world.
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Solid
- By Jason Blum on 10-24-22
By: Kieran Setiya
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Unschuldig
- True Crime Storys
- By: John Grisham, Jim McCloskey, Bea Reiter - Übersetzer, and others
- Narrated by: Charles Brauer
- Length: 16 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Aktueller denn je: Grishams True Crime Storys als flammende Anklage des amerikanischen Justizsystems. Unschuldige, die in die Klauen der Justiz geraten und sich plötzlich in der Todeszelle wiederfinden: In seinem ersten erzählerischen Sachbuch nach dem Weltbestseller "Der Gefangene" schildert John Grisham gemeinsam mit dem Gründer von Centurion Ministries, Jim McCloskey, zehn wahre Fälle skandalöser Verurteilungen. Perfekt recherchiert und packend geschrieben, gewähren die unglaublichen Geschichten einen erschütternden Einblick in die Fehlerhaftigkeit des amerikanischen Justizsystems.
By: John Grisham, and others
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The Economists' Hour
- False Prophets, Free Markets, and the Fracture of Society
- By: Binyamin Appelbaum
- Narrated by: Dan Bittner
- Length: 13 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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In this fascinating character-driven history, a New York Times editorial writer and Pulitzer Prize finalist spotlights the American economists who championed the rise of markets and fundamentally reshaped the modern world.
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One-sided ridicule of economists
- By Fountain of Chris on 09-06-19
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The Racketeer
- By: John Grisham
- Narrated by: JD Jackson
- Length: 12 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Given the importance of what they do, and the controversies that often surround them, and the violent people they sometimes confront, it is remarkable that in the history of this country only four active federal judges have been murdered. Judge Raymond Fawcett has just become number five.... Nothing is as it seems and everything’s fair game in this wickedly clever new novel from John Grisham, the undisputed master of the legal thriller.
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Garbage
- By cristina on 11-29-12
By: John Grisham
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Life Is What You Make It
- A story of love, hope and how determination can overcome even destiny
- By: Preeti Shenoy
- Narrated by: Smita Singh
- Length: 5 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Ankita Sharma has the world at her feet. She is young, good-looking and smart and has tonnes of friends and boys swooning over her. College life is what every youngster dreams of, and she also manages to get into a premier management school for her MBA. Six months later she is a patient in a mental health hospital. How did Ankita get here? What were the events that led to this? Will she ever get back her life again? Life has cruelly and coldly snatched that which meant the most to her, and she must now fight to get it all back.
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Great book
- By Satya on 10-26-18
By: Preeti Shenoy
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How to Make People Laugh
- Develop Confidence and Charisma, Master Improv Comedy, and Be More Witty with Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere (Communication Skills Training, Book 1)
- By: James W. Williams
- Narrated by: Johnny Bud
- Length: 3 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Want to learn how to make people laugh out loud? How to Make People Laugh is a book that targets regular comedians, such as you and me. It does not try to transform you into a professional comedian. Instead, it puts comedy in the spotlight of everyday life. With this book, you will learn techniques that you can easily incorporate at parties or even in regular banter with friends and colleagues.
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Go to youtube
- By Anotony on 09-05-21
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The Boys from Biloxi
- A Legal Thriller
- By: John Grisham
- Narrated by: Michael Beck
- Length: 17 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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For most of the last hundred years, Biloxi was known for its beaches, resorts, and seafood industry. But it had a darker side. It was also notorious for corruption and vice, everything from gambling, prostitution, bootleg liquor, and drugs to contract killings. The vice was controlled by small cabal of mobsters, many of them rumored to be members of the Dixie Mafia.
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Long and boring
- By ATM on 10-20-22
By: John Grisham
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The Client
- A Novel
- By: John Grisham
- Narrated by: John MacDonald
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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In a weedy lot on the outskirts of Memphis, two boys watch a shiny Lincoln pull up to the curb... Eleven-year-old Mark Sway and his younger brother were sharing a forbidden cigarette when a chance encounter with a suicidal lawyer left Mark knowing a bloody and explosive secret: the whereabouts of the most sought-after dead body in America. Now Mark is caught between a legal system gone mad and a mob killer desperate to cover up his crime. And his only ally is a woman named Reggie Love, who has been a lawyer for all of four years.
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Narration Flat
- By Caitlin on 12-12-24
By: John Grisham
What listeners say about When Truth Is All You Have
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- Kindle Customer
- 09-01-21
good read
i appreciate first hand perspective in advocacy for wrongly convicted. we should all remember them who are in prison unjustly. Don't forget them
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- Vishnu Nancoo
- 01-14-23
Injustices have replaced Justice
A fascinating listen with disturbingly scary cases in our justice system touted to be "One of the best in the world." Jim shatters this high chested self-proclaimed illusion to pieces and peels back the curtains of widespread corrupt "judicially acceptable norms!" I was caught by surprise at the revelations compellingly documented by McCloskey!
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1 person found this helpful
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- dom_a_j
- 02-23-25
One man’s mission to seek justice…
For those that were denied it. I read Framed by Jim McCloskey and John Grisham and then found out about this book, which I read right afterwards. Justice is amazing when it works. But can quickly turn one’s life into a nightmare when it doesn’t and when others conspire against you getting it. Great book and narration. A real eye opener.
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- Roxie in Dallas
- 08-07-22
important conceptually and icompelling ponder
this non fiction account blends personal biography with the authors human experiences and deep faith to serve society by righting social wrongs.. the book reaches to fills an educational void that deserves our close attention
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- Private
- 01-30-25
can't stand narrator
but I'll listen because of the cause and beautiful story and I have more than 15 words
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- Gail Y.
- 05-08-21
Moved beyond words
Seldom has a book has affected me so much; it is compelling, honest and so interesting. The only reason I deducted a star was that there was a lot of profanity which I found to be gratuitous.
Other than that, however, an excellent book with great narration.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Jb Antley
- 09-06-21
wow.
the system can be so devastating. this book is both disheartening and triumphant. Jim is a saint.
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- J. Walter
- 07-10-22
Justice for All?
Great book on a look at our criminal justice system. How race carries a stigma for innocence and guilt.
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- Udo
- 07-27-20
Compelling and Timely
As someone who has gone through the process, this book tells it like is was and is. For a real first-hand look at the criminal justice system in America, I can't recommend this highly enough. McClosky's life story is woven into the narrative. At first that seems a little incongruous, but after a while a theme emerges – why he ended up spending his life pursuing justice for the wrongly convicted and the life lessons that prepared him. Some of the crime details are quite brutal and hard to listen to, so be forewarned.
I think as a nation we are being made aware that we all have a stake in a universally fair and responsive criminal justice system, so if you agree, put this book at the top of your list. Pay special attention to the suggestions for improvement in the epilogue.
Narration is great except for an occasional wrong word emphasis, or I'd give it five stars too (picky picky :) ).
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- Ann
- 03-03-24
Awesome!
This book was incredible. I loved Jim’s stories, the way he humanize the people involved, the detail to each case, and the unmasking of the shameless corruption involving police and prosecution, who resist freeing innocent people, even when it is proven that they are not guilty, because they have too much pride to admit it. I have shared this inspirational book with many.
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1 person found this helpful