Exit to Freedom

by Calvin C. Johnson and Calvin C. Johnson Jr.

Book Overview

"With God as my witness, I have been falsely accused of these crimes. I did not commit them. I'm an innocent man." In 1983 Calvin C. Johnson Jr. spoke these words to a judge who later handed down a life sentence for rape and related crimes. Johnson spent sixteen years behind bars before he was freed in 1999 after DNA testing conclusively ruled out the possibility of his guilt.

Exit to Freedom is the unforgettable story of Johnson's unrelenting...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0820327840
• ISBN13: 9780820327846
• Release Date: September 2005
• Publisher: University of Georgia Press
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Exit To Freedom

To the authors: I just wanted to let you know how much the book moved me (enjoyed is clearly not the right word). Calvin's powerful, heartbreaking story is so eloquently written, I shared his frustration and anger over the idiocy of the bureaucracy that wrongly imprisoned him, and then read on with awe as his spirituality lead him out of the darkness. What an amazing human being - I am thrilled at his newfound happiness and full life. I have always been an opponent of the death penalty, and an advocate for prison reform, but if I had had any doubts about those convictions, your book would have wiped them out. Exit to Freedom should be put in the hands of every judge and DA in the country.

Necessary Reading

In literary terms, it might be easy to smirk at some of the posturing taken by Mr. Johnson in the story. Reflections on self and faith often seem self-serving. However, under the extraordinary fate of his circumstance, 16-plus years in prison for a brutal crime he did not commit, and for a crime he was exonerated for from the get-go that seemed to dog his life in the criminal justice system, his observations are both believable as well as commanding of respect. The writing is exemplary, but it's the story that is important. This is necessary reading regardless of your views on criminal justice. And beyond that, a reader feels compelled to shed tears for Mr. Johnson even if he does not expect them. More importantly, closing the last page, it becomes impossible not to wish constant happiness in his life to atone for the wrongs done to him, if such atonement could be possible.

Faith and Hope

In Iraq, prisoners have a saying that roughly translates: " I am going to go jump off my can." It is a statement about their acceptance of a fate that is out of their control. They have given up and might as well jump off of something but their spirit prevents them from jumping off of anything bigger than a can.Calvin Johnson's story is one of the human spirit. Despite a fate that is out of his control, he moves from acceptance and anger at his unjust conviction and incarceration to perserverence and an unfaltering faith in god's love.This is not truly a story about the science of DNA testing. It is a story about un anwavering faith in god and one man's fight for freedom. It was an absolutely fascinating read. I would recommend it to anyone.

Totally Awesome & Inspiring!

"Exit to Freedom" is by far one of the best books I've read! The authors (Calvin Johnson & Greg Hampikian) did an outstanding job taking us through the sixteen painful years Calvin experienced in jail for crimes he did not commit.The transformation of starting out extremely angry and bitter to learning to accept God's guidance and love is clearly illustrated throughout the book.I highly recommend this book to everyone. Calvin Johnson's willingness to forgive those who wronged him is a lesson we can practice in our daily lives.There are so many others like Calvin Johnson locked up for crimes they did not commit. I applaud the Innocence Project and other organizations willing to "right" a terrible "wong".I just purchased two more copies for gifts. Best wishes and blessings to the Johnson family.

Exit to Freedom Is About More than Exit From Jail

I will disclose up front that I am the former pastor and current friend of Greg Hampikian.When I obtained a copy of Calvin C. Johnson, Jr.'s Exit to Freedom (with Greg Hampikian, University of Georgia Press, 2003) I thought I would just skim the book. But when I started reading it, I could not put it down. The same thing happened to my wife.I thought the book was about an exit from prison but soon realized it was about much more. It is also about an exit from anger and bitterness, an exit from drugs and crime, and--most important--an exit to "spiritual freedom" (p. 272), which means service of others. PJS, Ph.D.