#2: John Grisham's The Confession

I read The Confession after Pastor Brian recommended it to me.  I have read other John Grisham books before and have loved the mystery, the thoughtful plots, and the characters, so I happily made The Confession my first purchase after receiving my new Nook Color as an anniversary gift (Thank you, Rob).  I was very intrigued by the story line from cover to cover and could completely see how Pastor Brian was moved by this story (one of the main characters is also a Pastor).  Furthermore, while I understand Grisham's vision to write this book in such a way that it forces readers to question their views on the death penalty, I honestly put the death penalty on the back burner and focused more on the racial issues presented in this book.  I couldn't help but wonder if the plot would have unfolded quite in the same way had Donte been white instead of black.  Perhaps the choice of race was an intentional one on the part of Mr. Grisham and he was making a statement about race and the judicial system.  Rob (my husband) read The Confession once I was done and he seems to think that the issue of race and the death penalty go hand in hand.  I'm not so sure.  I just wonder if the events surrounding Donte's arrest and subsequent imprisonment would've happened had he been white.  Clearly, I am way more focused about the racial issue than the death penalty.  I have barely even mentioned it in this blog.  The Confession ended up being Pastor Brian's book choice for his January book club at church, but I did not attend this meeting.  I felt, in a way, that I had completely missed the point of the book, but I can't possibly be the only reader who interpreted the book this way.  Has anyone else read this?  What are your thoughts?