Final answer:
Walter McMillian was wrongfully imprisoned due to systemic racism, false testimonies, and inadequate legal representation which led to a biased and flawed conviction. It took years and outside intervention to overturn his wrongful conviction, highlighting issues within the American legal system.
Step-by-step explanation:
Walter McMillian was wrongfully imprisoned due to a combination of systemic racism, false testimonies, and lack of adequate legal representation. He was convicted and sentenced to death row in 1988 for a murder he did not commit. McMillian's case was marred by a rush to close the case, leading to the coercion of witnesses and the ignoring of alibi witnesses who could confirm his location at the time of the crime. The criminal justice system demonstrated biases, with law enforcement officials more willing to believe and act upon testimony that fit their narrative rather than pursuing a thorough and fair investigation.
It took six years and the attention of the Equal Justice Initiative for McMillian's wrongful conviction to be overturned in 1993. His case became a seminal example of the potential for miscarriages of justice within the American legal system, particularly for African American defendants. McMillian's story underscores the importance of equal legal representation and the need for vigilance against judicial and prosecutorial abuses.