UNC made a wise choice in summer reading book

TO THE EDITOR:

For this year’s summer reading, UNC hit a home run. “Picking Cotton” has many elements that make it not only a great choice for incoming freshmen, but for all UNC students.

The true story of Ronald Cotton, who was wrongly imprisoned for 11 years based on eyewitness testimony given by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino, is a passionate tale of the imperfections of our legal system and the ability to correct those problems. And it illustrates some of the uplifting aspects of human nature: forgiveness, redemption and friendship.

The story is one fit for the big screen, and the book was impossible to put down; I read it in one sitting. It also made me proud to be affiliated with this University. The two lawyers who paved the way for Mr. Cotton’s exoneration were a UNC law professor and a UNC alumnus.

From Thompson-Cannino’s compelling testimony against her accused rapist to Cotton’s heartbreaking wrongful imprisonment and finally, his forgiveness and their subsequent friendship and mission to educate the world on the dangers of eyewitness identification, “Picking Cotton” is not only an excellent choice for summer reading, but a must-read for everyone. I strongly encourage you to check it out, and tell your friends to do the same.

David Lambeth
Senior
History