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Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States

NCJ Number
150802
Author(s)
H Prejean
Date Published
1993
Length
287 pages
Annotation
This book describes the experiences of a Roman Catholic nun who became a spiritual advisor to a death row inmate convicted of the murders of two teenagers.
Abstract
In the months preceding his execution, the author became acquainted with this convicted killer and began to understand the terrifying impact his death sentence had on him. In this condemnation of capital punishment, and her descriptions of the condemned inmates she has met, the author also acknowledges the pain and bereavement of the families of victims, as well as the emotions and position of the correctional personnel assigned to execute death row inmates. The book addresses the issue of capital punishment both from the perspectives of society's needs and of the religious imperative to forgive.