Bryan Stevenson

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.

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.