Bryan Stevenson

It doesn't mean that you let people walk all over you. But it does mean that you're not looking for the worst in others. You're not trying to create a world... of us versus them. You're not trying to build division where you're on one side of the wall and other people on the other side of the wall, and they don't deserve mercy and you do. It's the opposite of that.

It doesn't mean that you let people walk all over you. But it does mean that you're not looking for the worst in others. You're not trying to create a world... of us versus them. You're not trying to build division where you're on one side of the wall and other people on the other side of the wall, and they don't deserve mercy and you do. It's the opposite of that.

It doesn't mean that you let people walk all over you. But it does mean that you're not looking for the worst in others. You're not trying to create a world... of us versus them. You're not trying to build division where you're on one side of the wall and other people on the other side of the wall, and they don't deserve mercy and you do. It's the opposite of that.

It's the way in which we think about tearing down walls, creating less harm, less injury, less misunderstanding by being willing to give as much mercy as we hope people will give us.

It's the way in which we think about tearing down walls, creating less harm, less injury, less misunderstanding by being willing to give as much mercy as we hope people will give us.

It's the way in which we think about tearing down walls, creating less harm, less injury, less misunderstanding by being willing to give as much mercy as we hope people will give us.

Yeah, I think it's the beauty of a journey. You keep learning things. And I represented a man who was intellectually disabled. He asked me to try to prevent his execution. He'd already been through the appeals process.

Yeah, I think it's the beauty of a journey. You keep learning things. And I represented a man who was intellectually disabled. He asked me to try to prevent his execution. He'd already been through the appeals process.

Yeah, I think it's the beauty of a journey. You keep learning things. And I represented a man who was intellectually disabled. He asked me to try to prevent his execution. He'd already been through the appeals process.

Even though I knew it would be very hard to stop the execution, you know, we jumped in because our courts have actually banned the execution of people with intellectual disabilities. So I went to the trial judge and said, he's intellectually disabled, you can't execute him. But the trial judge again said, too late, somebody should have filed that motion years ago.

Even though I knew it would be very hard to stop the execution, you know, we jumped in because our courts have actually banned the execution of people with intellectual disabilities. So I went to the trial judge and said, he's intellectually disabled, you can't execute him. But the trial judge again said, too late, somebody should have filed that motion years ago.

Even though I knew it would be very hard to stop the execution, you know, we jumped in because our courts have actually banned the execution of people with intellectual disabilities. So I went to the trial judge and said, he's intellectually disabled, you can't execute him. But the trial judge again said, too late, somebody should have filed that motion years ago.

The appellate court said too late. The federal court said too late. And I did the hardest thing I have to do, which is to pick up the phone and talk to this man. I said, I'm so sorry, but I can't stop this execution. And then he did the thing that I dread. He started to cry. He became very emotional. And he was literally sobbing. on the other end of the phone.

The appellate court said too late. The federal court said too late. And I did the hardest thing I have to do, which is to pick up the phone and talk to this man. I said, I'm so sorry, but I can't stop this execution. And then he did the thing that I dread. He started to cry. He became very emotional. And he was literally sobbing. on the other end of the phone.

The appellate court said too late. The federal court said too late. And I did the hardest thing I have to do, which is to pick up the phone and talk to this man. I said, I'm so sorry, but I can't stop this execution. And then he did the thing that I dread. He started to cry. He became very emotional. And he was literally sobbing. on the other end of the phone.

And I just gave him space and I was holding the phone. And then he said, please don't hang up, Mr. Stevenson. There's something I want to say to you. I said, of course. And then he tried to say something to me. But in addition to being intellectually disabled, when he got overwhelmed, when he got distraught and challenged.

And I just gave him space and I was holding the phone. And then he said, please don't hang up, Mr. Stevenson. There's something I want to say to you. I said, of course. And then he tried to say something to me. But in addition to being intellectually disabled, when he got overwhelmed, when he got distraught and challenged.

And I just gave him space and I was holding the phone. And then he said, please don't hang up, Mr. Stevenson. There's something I want to say to you. I said, of course. And then he tried to say something to me. But in addition to being intellectually disabled, when he got overwhelmed, when he got distraught and challenged.

He had a speech impediment and he would really struggle to get his words out. So he began stuttering terribly. He could not get out a single word. And I was standing there holding the phone and tears were literally running down my face. It was so challenging that my mind wandered.

He had a speech impediment and he would really struggle to get his words out. So he began stuttering terribly. He could not get out a single word. And I was standing there holding the phone and tears were literally running down my face. It was so challenging that my mind wandered.