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Summary: Dead Man Walking Review
Review: A Catholic nun by the name of Prejean, a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Medaille, who is friends with two death-row inmates, coupled with a plea for the abolition of capital punishment. In 1982, Prejean agrees to correspond with convicted rapist and murderer Patrick Sonnier, awaiting execution in Louisiana's electric chair. Letters lead to visits, and Prejean becomes spiritual advisor to the condemned man. Her counsel takes over, and Sonnier dies. Both killers come off as repellently fascinating, but the real interest here is in Prejean. Even of those who have taken the lives of others. Her arguments against capital punishment are well known but preached with passion: The death penalty is racist, barbaric, and doesn't deter crime; innocent people get killed, etc. But her real brief lies in the grim details of execution, both in the degradation of the long weeks of waiting and in the torture of the execution itself. To Prejean, the whole story is a web of crimes, the original murder; the execution. The suffering inflicted upon the families of both killer and victim, to which the only moral response is love inspired by Christ, who "refused to meet hate with hate and violence with violence."
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Summary: A view from my small corner of the justice system
Review: A lot of reviewers have commented on the content of this book. I guess at this point I don't want to re-enter that debate, although I will tell all of you that I personally strongly oppose the death penalty.The thing that will stay with me about this book is the spare, unflinching, hypnotic tone of the writing. Helen Prejean has a writing style that will not let the reader look away. This is just as true when she is writing lists of facts as it is when she is recounting her personal oddyssey. No matter which side of this debate one personally comes down on, her strength as a person is impossible to negate. She is painfully honest, reavealing her own human fears and concerns, and recounting her growth as she acknowleges and faces them. This is a book that is hard to leave and will be difficult to forget.
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Summary: Excellent selected history of Louisianna Death Row
Review: As a former investigator on behalf of Florida death sentenced persons from 1986 - 1992, I can vouch for this book as an excellently written and informative book that is the result of the testing of wills and struggles with God. Definitely beyond any shadow of a doubt a five star book and film.
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Summary: Powerful and thought provoking
Review: Certainly a great book - wonderfully written and very moving. I came away feeling guilty that I had ever favoured capital punishment. I read more on the subject and came across a sentence written by John Douglas, the FBI 'profiler'. He said, "I am much more interested in giving an innocent victim a first chance than I am in giving a convicted criminal a second chance." And that, to me, is the real point. If there was REAL life imprisonment then we could feel safe knowing that some convicted killers could not be set free to kill again. It is all too easy to feel sympathy for someone waiting years to die on 'death row'. But it makes me very uneasy to think that just one could be released to harm my family. No, I am sorry Helen, but until you can lock them up for good, I'm going to support John Douglas. I am going to give my family a first chance rather than these convicted murderers a second chance. Nevertheless you are a dedicated and passionate person and a credit to the human race. God bless you.
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Summary: Re: Florida cases: Roy Swafford and Peter Ventura:
Review: For those interested in reading the four to three vote Florida Supreme Court opinions regarding two more death sentenced persons whose innocence is an authentic issue, please go to www.flcourts.org, then go to "Opinions and Rules", then chose the correct year and scroll down to the following two cases:
Roy Swafford: April 18, 2002 Case No. 92.173 Peter Ventura: May 24, 2001 Case No. 93.839 These two cases are findable under "Court Orders: Case Disposition Orders" and "Briefs in Other Cases" sections of the "Press Page": Roy Swafford: March 26, 2004 Case Nos. 03.931 and 03.1153
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Summary: An eye opener!!
Review: If you are thinking of buying this book....go for it. You won't regret it. This book opened my eyes to a completly different side to capital punishement I was never aware of, however i was never for it anyway. Its full of facts and true stories, it's so beautifully written. Sister Prejean is truly an amazing and special women. If you've seen the movie, the book is concerning the two real men she was a spiritual adviser for, both men were I suppose combined to form Sean Penn's character in the Tim Robbin's film. Enjoy.
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Summary: Prejean is a Pleasure
Review: In this book Helen Prejean does a wonderful job of both enlightening and informing her reader, without boring him or her. I have always known that I was against the death penalty, and this book, along with Sr Helen's experiences, completely affirms my belief, Not only are the book & movie well-done, but Prejean is wonderful to listen to. If you ever have the chance to hear her speak live, DO IT! I had the chance to hear her this past year in college, and then was able to participate in a question/answer session with her in a small group. She was most impressive in both venues, and had excellent answers for the audience's sometimes-antagonistic questions. In fact, the night spent listening to her speak was the most spiritually moving time of my short life.
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Summary: A movie which shows all views, not typical for Hollywood
Review: The movie tries to be neutral so that everyone is able to interpret it his/her own way. You can learn a lot while you see it cause no one can imagine all the (cruel) details of the execution process.
I liked the way the characters are presented, they are not
stereotype Hollywood figures but it seems like this movie really shows the true story of sister Helen and Matt without trying to make it nicer for the audience and without giving it a happy ending. Furthermore, the movie is really touching and I can't understand those people who watch it and still don't see that death penalty is no solution and does no good.
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Summary: Decide after you know the facts
Review: This book opened my eyes. I used to think it was acceptable for the government to kill Really Bad People, but now I understand the complications with our system and why it fails. Even if this book doesn't change your mind on this hot-button issue, it will explain how the system really works, and your opinion will be an informed one.
I've also heard Sister Helen speak in person -- she's amazing. If you ever hear that she's in the area, go listen to her! Who would guess that a nun would be so darn funny?
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Summary: Whats the Dignity in the Death Penalty?
Review: Today, I heard Sister Prejean speak about her book Dead Man Walking and about all of the experiances that shes been through concerning the death penalty. Nothing less than amazing. Dead Man Walking calls upon the unjustices in the death penalty but also on the actual death penalty victims. Many people think that death penalty victims are just plain bad people. Read this book. If you want to be challenged on your views, read this book. You can't be idle on the death penalty. Also, coming soon is the Death of Innocence. Sister Prejean spoke on the content of this book and the stories within it. Once again, nothing less than amazing. A story that is priceless to hear and will influence your life.
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