Injustice Town: A Corrupt City, a Wrongly Convicted Man, and a Struggle for Freedom

Investigative reporter Tulsky debuts with a harrowing true crime narrative about 17-year-old Lamonte McIntyre, who was unjustly convicted of murder by a dirty cop, an unethical DA, and a judge who had a secret past relationship with the prosecutor. In the 1990s, Kansas City suffered from government corruption, a decaying downtown, and a high crime rate. When two Black Kansas City men were executed in broad daylight in 1994, the cops and city hall wanted the case wrapped up quickly to avoid further damage to the city’s reputation. They pinned the crime on McIntyre, a poor Black teenager with a drug record, who was swiftly convicted despite a lack of evidence and a solid alibi. McIntyre languished in prison until 2019, when Centurion Ministries, an Innocence Project–style nonprofit, took on his case. With the help of attorney Cheryl Pilate, McIntyre was freed in 2017 and awarded millions in damages from the city and state. Tulsky meticulously traces the perfect storm of prejudice and corruption that left McIntyre vulnerable, and wrenchingly describes his unsteady efforts to rejoin society as an adult. This horrifying account of injustice and new beginnings leaves a mark. Agent: Michael Carlisle, InkWell Management. (Feb.)