Convicted

by Jameel McGee

Paper Book, 2017

Status

Available

Call number

B MCG

Collection

Call number

B MCG

Publication

WaterBrook Press

Description

Biography & Autobiography. Religion & Spirituality. Nonfiction. HTML:Jameel McGee: "For the next three years not a day went by that I didn't think about my son who I had never seen and the cop who had kept me from him. And for most of those three years I promised myself that if I ever saw this cop again, I was going to kill him. I intended to keep that promise." Andrew Collins: "I watched this angry man march through a crowd, a little boy and another man struggling to keep up with him....The man walked straight up to me, stopped, and stuck out his hand. I took it. "Remember me?" he asked in a tone that sounded more like a threat than a question. Somehow, a name came to me. 'Jameel McGee,' I replied." It reads like a gripping crime novel...except this story really happened. Racial tensions had long simmered in Benton Harbor, a small city on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, before the day a white narcotics officer�??more focused on arrests than justice�??set his sights on an innocent black man. But when officer Andrew Collins framed Jameel McGee for possession of crack cocaine, the surprising result was not a race riot but a transformative journey for both men. Falsely convicted, McGee spent four years in federal prison. Collins also went to prison a few years later for falsifying police reports. While behind bars, the faith of both men deepened. But the story took its most unexpected turn once they were released�??when their lives collided again in a moment brimming with mistrust and anger. The two were on a collision course�??not to violence�??but forgiveness. As current as today's headlines, this explosive, true story reveals how these radically conflicted men chose to let go of fear and a thirst for revenge to pursue reconciliation for themselves, their community, and our racially… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member lamb521
Title: Convicted: A Crooked Cop, an Innocent Man, and an Unlikely Journey of Forgiveness & Friendship
Author: Jameel McGee and Andrew Collins with Mark Tabb
Pages: 224
Year: 2017
Publisher: WaterBrook
My rating 5 out of 5 stars.
This book is about two men who came across one another at a store in Benton
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Harbor, Michigan. One is a white cop and the other is a black man buying groceries for his son. It is on this day (February 8, 2006), that Jameel McGee was arrested for something he didn’t do. Andrew Collins is the cop who arrested him for possession of drugs with the intention to distribute. Jameel is confused and angry about the unlawful arrest. He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. He’s not some big-time drug dealer that the cops are after. Collins is convinced that Jameel is a drug dealer and arrests him after finding dope in “his” car. To ensure that another drug dealer is off the streets of Benton Harbor, Collins lies on his report and to the court about Jameel, sending him to prison for the next three years.
Angry and filled with a desire for revenge, Jameel McGee waits for the chance to pay back the cop who ruined his life. But while in prison, Jameel is called by God to let go of his anger and that He’s got it. Jameel learns to let go of his revenge and his anger and after three years behind bars, he is set free. Collins faces the consequences for his unlawful actions. He is caught with drugs that he had been using as extra evidence against drug dealers and gaining extra money for himself illegally. He loses his job as a cop and soon afterwards is sent to prison for the next 18 months.
The two men are eventually reunited in Benton Harbor and from there they embark on a journey of forgiveness and redemption. From that journey, they will learn about the power of forgiveness and grace that lets God back into their lives. They will discover things about themselves and how no matter what storms come their way in life, God is always in control.
I would recommend this book to others because it is a powerful true story of forgiveness and redemption. Because of our fallen nature, we tend to think we got this or we can fix that when life throws a curve ball at us. We often fail to turn to God for help. Sometimes the bad experiences we have are God’s way of testing our relationship with Him or getting us to come back to Him. When we let our pride or our unwillingness to let God be in control of our lives, things go from bad to worse. God’s grace works wonders in a person’s life when he or she is willing to forgive and ask God for forgiveness for all the hurt and the pain that has been done to them and the suffering they have caused others. Taking responsibility for these wrong actions takes a lot of courage and humility. I would ask others to recognize that this isn’t just a true story about two men getting over what some people may call racial prejudice, but something much deeper than that, something spiritual.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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LibraryThing member Virginia51
This is a novel even though it is based on true happenings. It flows beautifully. You want to like Andrew because he is a cop but you can't since he is dirty. I liked Jameel from beginning to end. I don't know if I could have forgiven Andrew the way that Jameel does but good for him. This book is
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very intense and it really draws you in. I received a copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
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LibraryThing member JaredOrlando
The redemption story of Jameel and Andrew is heartwarming and full of frustration towards a crooked policing and judicial system, but it reads like two sides of a rambling diary.
LibraryThing member Bibliodiction
The first few chapters of this book were a difficult read, emotionally. I almost stopped, but difficult stories are the ones that need to be told the most.

Overall, this is the story of how God appeared to these two men at a time when He was most needed. The strong belief of Jameel and Andrew saved
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them from continuing down dark paths. He took on their pain and grief so they could learn to let go and forgive. This lesson allowed them to become positive influences in their community.

I am so happy for these two men and their families. They not only survived years of torment and heartache, they seem to be even stronger for it. The tests and trials they all experienced had to be overwhelming. I wish them all the best.

I enjoyed reading this story. I learned the importance of finding acceptance and loving unconditionally. These virtues may not come easily or naturally, but once found, the heart becomes lighter and happier.

This review is based on the ARC version provided by Blogging for Books. Full review can be found on my blog.
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ISBN

9780735290723

Barcode

51378
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