Bryan Stevenson

And I took a step and my mom wasn't satisfied. She grabbed me by the arm. She said, wait, after you tell that little boy you're sorry, I want you to hug that little boy. And I kind of rolled my eyes. I said, okay, mom. And I took a step and then she grabbed me by the arm again. She said, wait. After you hug that little boy, I want you to tell that little boy you love him.

And I took a step and my mom wasn't satisfied. She grabbed me by the arm. She said, wait, after you tell that little boy you're sorry, I want you to hug that little boy. And I kind of rolled my eyes. I said, okay, mom. And I took a step and then she grabbed me by the arm again. She said, wait. After you hug that little boy, I want you to tell that little boy you love him.

And I took a step and my mom wasn't satisfied. She grabbed me by the arm. She said, wait, after you tell that little boy you're sorry, I want you to hug that little boy. And I kind of rolled my eyes. I said, okay, mom. And I took a step and then she grabbed me by the arm again. She said, wait. After you hug that little boy, I want you to tell that little boy you love him.

I said, mom, I can't go over there and tell that little boy I love him. She gave me that look. I said, all right. I remember going over to that little boy saying, look, man, you know, well, I'm sorry. And then I lunged at him and gave him my little boy version of a man hug. And then I remember trying to say as insincerely as I possibly could. I said, you know, well, I don't know. Well, I love you.

I said, mom, I can't go over there and tell that little boy I love him. She gave me that look. I said, all right. I remember going over to that little boy saying, look, man, you know, well, I'm sorry. And then I lunged at him and gave him my little boy version of a man hug. And then I remember trying to say as insincerely as I possibly could. I said, you know, well, I don't know. Well, I love you.

I said, mom, I can't go over there and tell that little boy I love him. She gave me that look. I said, all right. I remember going over to that little boy saying, look, man, you know, well, I'm sorry. And then I lunged at him and gave him my little boy version of a man hug. And then I remember trying to say as insincerely as I possibly could. I said, you know, well, I don't know. Well, I love you.

And what I'd forgotten was how that little boy hugged me back. And then he whispered flawlessly in my ear, he said, I love you too. And I was thinking about that while my client was trying to get his words out. And finally, my client got his words out and he said, I just want to thank you for fighting for me.

And what I'd forgotten was how that little boy hugged me back. And then he whispered flawlessly in my ear, he said, I love you too. And I was thinking about that while my client was trying to get his words out. And finally, my client got his words out and he said, I just want to thank you for fighting for me.

And what I'd forgotten was how that little boy hugged me back. And then he whispered flawlessly in my ear, he said, I love you too. And I was thinking about that while my client was trying to get his words out. And finally, my client got his words out and he said, I just want to thank you for fighting for me.

And the last thing that man said to me, he says, I want you to know that I love you for trying to save my life. He hung up the phone. They pulled him away. They strapped him to a gurney and they executed him. That moment was the moment when I said, I just can't do this anymore. It just seemed too much. And I think it was because I realized with great intensity how broken he was.

And the last thing that man said to me, he says, I want you to know that I love you for trying to save my life. He hung up the phone. They pulled him away. They strapped him to a gurney and they executed him. That moment was the moment when I said, I just can't do this anymore. It just seemed too much. And I think it was because I realized with great intensity how broken he was.

And the last thing that man said to me, he says, I want you to know that I love you for trying to save my life. He hung up the phone. They pulled him away. They strapped him to a gurney and they executed him. That moment was the moment when I said, I just can't do this anymore. It just seemed too much. And I think it was because I realized with great intensity how broken he was.

And the question I had in my mind is, why do we want to kill all the broken people? What is it about us that when we see brokenness in other people, we want to hurt them for it, kill them for it? I represent the broken. All of my clients have been broken by poverty, broken by trauma, broken by addiction, broken by illness, broken by disability, broken by despair.

And the question I had in my mind is, why do we want to kill all the broken people? What is it about us that when we see brokenness in other people, we want to hurt them for it, kill them for it? I represent the broken. All of my clients have been broken by poverty, broken by trauma, broken by addiction, broken by illness, broken by disability, broken by despair.

And the question I had in my mind is, why do we want to kill all the broken people? What is it about us that when we see brokenness in other people, we want to hurt them for it, kill them for it? I represent the broken. All of my clients have been broken by poverty, broken by trauma, broken by addiction, broken by illness, broken by disability, broken by despair.

And then I realized I work in a broken system because the people with power won't get proximate. They don't have hope. They're unwilling to be compassionate. And I was sitting there just thinking about why do I do what I do? And that was the moment when I had this realization that I don't do what I do because I've been trained as a lawyer. I don't do what I do because somebody has to do it.

And then I realized I work in a broken system because the people with power won't get proximate. They don't have hope. They're unwilling to be compassionate. And I was sitting there just thinking about why do I do what I do? And that was the moment when I had this realization that I don't do what I do because I've been trained as a lawyer. I don't do what I do because somebody has to do it.

And then I realized I work in a broken system because the people with power won't get proximate. They don't have hope. They're unwilling to be compassionate. And I was sitting there just thinking about why do I do what I do? And that was the moment when I had this realization that I don't do what I do because I've been trained as a lawyer. I don't do what I do because somebody has to do it.

I don't even do what I do because it's about human rights or justice. That's part of it. But what I realized that night that I'd never realized before is that I do what I do because I'm broken too. I am not unflawed. I am not unblemished. I am not uncomplicated in the same ways that the people I represent are. But I do believe in the power of redemption. I do believe in grace.

I don't even do what I do because it's about human rights or justice. That's part of it. But what I realized that night that I'd never realized before is that I do what I do because I'm broken too. I am not unflawed. I am not unblemished. I am not uncomplicated in the same ways that the people I represent are. But I do believe in the power of redemption. I do believe in grace.