Dear Justyce

The perspective of the story shifts to present-day Justyce McAllister. On the heels of receiving Quan’s last letter, Justyce, his girlfriend SJ, and his friend Jared head home to Atlanta from college. On the drive, Justyce listens as SJ and Jared squabble, and he thinks back to his childhood friendship with Quan. Justyce reveals to SJ and Jared that “Quan didn’t do it” (176), and the three prelaw students agree that they have to do something to help Quan. As students “at two of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world” (178), they feel a responsibility to use their education to help free an innocent young man.

Quan worries when three weeks pass and he still hasn’t heard back from Justyce. He’s “been having nightmares again, this time about his own arrest” (182). Quan thinks about how he is sitting in prison for a crime he did not commit and how he held his tongue all this time because he didn’t want to cause more trouble for Martel and his guys. Quan feels indebted to the Black Jihad, and now he worries about what will happen now that he has told Justyce the truth. Quan “confessed” to the crime when he was questioned, which complicates his case.

Quan’s lawyer visits and tells him that the prosecutor is offering a plea bargain. Quan writes to Justyce and tells him the details: The prosecutor will “reduce the murder charge to voluntary manslaughter and drop all the others” (191). Quan’s lawyer encourages him to take the plea, but Quan is hesitant. If he accepts, he won't get out of prison until he turns 30, and he asks Justyce for advice.

Meanwhile, at SJ’s parents’ house, Justyce has a meeting with Doc, SJ’s mother (Attorney Friedman), Liberty Ayers, SJ, and Jared. Justyce explains the situation: Quan has been wrongfully imprisoned, and it’s up to them to get him out because “him having to serve even one year would be a tragic miscarriage of justice” (197). Justyce wants to convince Quan to fire his lawyer and replace him with Attorney Friedman. Liberty warns that Quan won’t want to shift the blame to anyone in the Black Jihad because “when you grow up feeling like no one’s on your side, and you suddenly find people who are, it literally changes your brain” (201). Since Quan will be unwilling to flip on his friends, they must focus on proving Quan’s innocence: not someone else’s guilt. Justyce states that the bullets involved in the deadly shooting don’t match Quan’s weapon and that Quan reports the shooting was in self-defense because Castillo refused to lower his weapon. Although there are no evidence or witnesses to prove Quan’s innocence, Jared points out that this also means there is no evidence or witnesses to prove his guilt. However, Quan’s confession during interrogation will be difficult to overturn. Justyce gets an idea, abruptly ends the meeting, and leaves.

Justyce comes to visit Quan in prison and tells him that he needs to fire his lawyer. Justyce explains that he received Quan’s letter and he wants to help. Quan refuses to say who actually shot Officer Castillo. Justyce promises that no one has to be blamed for Quan to get acquitted. Justyce asks about the interrogation that led to Quan’s false confession. Quan is nervous and resistant to talk about that night. Eventually, he tells Justyce that the interrogation went on for a long time and Quan was deprived of sleep and made physically uncomfortable with hard chairs and handcuffs. He invoked his right to remain silent, but the officers didn’t let up and even started saying, “Come on, kid. We know you did it” (216). Justyce gets the information he needs, and before he leaves, he again tells Quan to replace his lawyer with Attorney Friedman.

Later, Quan writes to Justyce and confirms that he did it. Quan marvels that Attorney Friedman—Adrienne—really believes his story and wants to get him out of prison. Quan is both moved and frightened by how many people are suddenly fighting for him and believing in him. He worries about getting out of prison and falling right back into gang life, and he doesn’t want to waste this opportunity.