Perry Lott

What would you do if you were sentenced to serve 300 hundred years in prison for a crime that you did not commit? This book is the autobiography life story of Perry James Lott, a Black man who was wrongfully convicted of a crime that he did not commit. Perry adamantly claimed his innocence. In March of 1988, in Ada, Oklahoma, he was found guilty of rape and robbery of a young woman. This verdict was mainly due to an overzealous District Attorney and police detective who was out to make a name for himself. Perry Lott, an innocent man, was sentenced to 300 years in prison.

Perry describes being the twelfth of 14 siblings who were raised by loving parents. His father was forced to work long hours supporting his family. Perry readily admits that he was a wild teenage boy who had his share of trouble, some of which are described in the book.

The main theme in his book is Criminal Justice gone wrong. The Innocent Project helped to correct a grave misjustice to a certain degree that still exists today. Thanks to this group, DNA evidence proved what Perry had claimed. It took 6 years to win his release, but on July 9, 2018, he was released from custody.

Perry’s conviction was similar to what John Grisham wrote in his book, The Innocent Man, with the exception that the victims in these cases were murdered. These cases took place in 1984 and 1988 in Ada, a small town in Oklahoma. The verdicts were overturned thanks to The Innocent Project help and to DNA evidence.

After serving 31 years in prison, Perry is now a free man. Unfortunately, there are a lot of “Perry Lott’s” in prison throughout the United States who are innocent but found guilty.

Perry Lott’s goal in life is to help young Black boys to learn to become responsible and an example of what a man should be.

Perry ends his book with a reconciliation effort to several people who have been part of his life. As a reborn Christian, he admits that most of his problems in his life were his own making and he seeks forgiveness.