Ralph Myers is the man whose false accusation sends Walter to death row. Born to a poor, white, Southern family, Myers suffers from trauma-related psychological issues. Considered a low-life in Monroeville, Myers uses fantastical stories to get attention. He abuses drugs with his friend, Karen Kelly, and is convicted for involvement in the murder of Vickie Pittman. After his accusation against Walter, Myers tries repeatedly to recant his false testimony. Despite threats from the State, he eventually succeeds in recanting the testimony with help from EJI. Though he continues to have mental health issues, Myers ultimately tries to resolve his trauma and make amends for his mistakes.
Ralph Myers Quotes in Just Mercy
The Just Mercy quotes below are all either spoken by Ralph Myers or refer to Ralph Myers. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 7
Quotes
You know they’ll try to kill you if you actually get to the bottom of everything.
Related Characters:
Ralph Myers (speaker), Bryan Stevenson, Walter McMillian, Michael O’Connor
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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Ralph Myers Character Timeline in Just Mercy
The timeline below shows where the character Ralph Myers appears in Just Mercy. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1: Mockingbird Players
...trying to break up with Karen, who has started abusing drugs with her new friend, Ralph Myers. Ralph and Karen are now suspects in the murder of another woman from Escambia...
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Chapter 3: Trials and Tribulations
...to the events leading up to Walter’s conviction, Stevenson describes the investigators’ next move after Myers failed to identify Walter. Stevenson remarks that public pressure was continuing to build on Sheriff...
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Stevenson recounts the story that Ralph Myers gave to police. According to Myers, Walter kidnapped him at a gas station at...
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In another section of Holman death row, Ralph Myers has a psychological breakdown on the night that inmate Wayne Ritter is executed. Myers...
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Walter’s February trial is postponed until August after the key witness, Myers, again refuses to testify. Tate transfers Myers back to death row, where his mental health...
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...trial, Ted Pearson uses preemptory strikes to eliminate all but one of the black jurors. Myers gives his testimony. He adds that he went into Monroeville Cleaners and saw Walter standing...
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Chapter 7: Justice Denied
...modified Walter’s truck six months after Ronda’s murder. Finally, a clerk at the store where Myers was asked to identify Walter confirms that Myers had to ask which black man was...
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EJI receives a surprising call from Myers. Although wary of his intentions, they know the case rests on his testimony. When he...
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Going home, Stevenson and Michael discuss the corruption Myers described, including his accusation that a local sheriff organized the Pittman murder in reaction to...
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...all of the documents they’ve collected from different sources, including from the mental institution where Myers was admitted, the ABI, and the Pittman murder files from Escambia County. Seeing repeated mentions...
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Chapter 9: I’m Here
...Michael spend days planning how they will present all the evidence in the allotted time. Ralph has begun calling EJI regularly with long tales of police and State corruption, and Michael...
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The hearing begins. Stevenson recounts the story Myers gave during Walter’s trial. He highlights that the State never searched for the white man...
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...well, even after the morning’s ominous beginning. He calls on several state doctors who saw Myers for psychiatric care at the state hospital. They all testify that Myers repeatedly told them...
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...final day of the hearing, Stevenson calls on several witnesses who had been incarcerated with Myers who testify that Myers told them that his accusations were false. EJI “save[s] the most...
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Chapter 11: I’ll Fly Away
Stevenson receives Judge Norton’s decision. In The judge’s written response, Norton addresses only Myers’ recantation of his testimony. Norton writes that Myers was either lying during the trial or...
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...to produce a story about Walter’s case. Their reporters come to Monroeville and interview Walter, Myers, Chapman, and everyone involved in the case. Even before the story airs, the local newspapers...
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