Bryan Stevenson

And I forgot I was a law student. I forgot he was a condemned person on death row. We were just two people talking. And the visit was only scheduled for an hour, but we kept talking. I just lost track of time. And one hour turned to two hours, two hours turned to three hours. The guards were waiting for me to finish. And after three hours, they got angry and they couldn't take it anymore.

And I forgot I was a law student. I forgot he was a condemned person on death row. We were just two people talking. And the visit was only scheduled for an hour, but we kept talking. I just lost track of time. And one hour turned to two hours, two hours turned to three hours. The guards were waiting for me to finish. And after three hours, they got angry and they couldn't take it anymore.

So they came bursting into the room and they grabbed this man and they threw him against the wall. They pulled his arms back. They put the handcuffs on his wrist really tightly. They wrapped the chain around his waist. They were treating very roughly. They put the shackles back on his ankles and I begged them to be gentler. I said, look, it's not his fault. It's my fault.

So they came bursting into the room and they grabbed this man and they threw him against the wall. They pulled his arms back. They put the handcuffs on his wrist really tightly. They wrapped the chain around his waist. They were treating very roughly. They put the shackles back on his ankles and I begged them to be gentler. I said, look, it's not his fault. It's my fault.

So they came bursting into the room and they grabbed this man and they threw him against the wall. They pulled his arms back. They put the handcuffs on his wrist really tightly. They wrapped the chain around his waist. They were treating very roughly. They put the shackles back on his ankles and I begged them to be gentler. I said, look, it's not his fault. It's my fault.

He didn't do anything wrong, but they ignored me. Then they started shoving this man toward the door, really pushing him. And it upset me. I said, please, you don't have to do that. He didn't do anything wrong, but they ignored me. And they got that man near the door, and I'll never forget how when he got near the door, he planted his feet.

He didn't do anything wrong, but they ignored me. Then they started shoving this man toward the door, really pushing him. And it upset me. I said, please, you don't have to do that. He didn't do anything wrong, but they ignored me. And they got that man near the door, and I'll never forget how when he got near the door, he planted his feet.

He didn't do anything wrong, but they ignored me. Then they started shoving this man toward the door, really pushing him. And it upset me. I said, please, you don't have to do that. He didn't do anything wrong, but they ignored me. And they got that man near the door, and I'll never forget how when he got near the door, he planted his feet.

And when they tried to shove him through the door, he didn't move. And then he turned to me and he looked at me and he said, Brian, don't worry about this. You just come back. And then he did this thing I'll never, ever forget. I stood there and I watched him close his eyes. throw his head back, and then he started to sing. And he started singing this hymn.

And when they tried to shove him through the door, he didn't move. And then he turned to me and he looked at me and he said, Brian, don't worry about this. You just come back. And then he did this thing I'll never, ever forget. I stood there and I watched him close his eyes. throw his head back, and then he started to sing. And he started singing this hymn.

And when they tried to shove him through the door, he didn't move. And then he turned to me and he looked at me and he said, Brian, don't worry about this. You just come back. And then he did this thing I'll never, ever forget. I stood there and I watched him close his eyes. throw his head back, and then he started to sing. And he started singing this hymn.

He started singing, I'm pressing on the upward way, new heights I'm gaining every day, still praying as I'm onward bound. And then he said, Lord, plant my feet on higher ground. Everybody stopped. And then the guards recovered and they started pushing him down the hallway. And you could hear the chains clanging as they pushed him down the hallway.

He started singing, I'm pressing on the upward way, new heights I'm gaining every day, still praying as I'm onward bound. And then he said, Lord, plant my feet on higher ground. Everybody stopped. And then the guards recovered and they started pushing him down the hallway. And you could hear the chains clanging as they pushed him down the hallway.

He started singing, I'm pressing on the upward way, new heights I'm gaining every day, still praying as I'm onward bound. And then he said, Lord, plant my feet on higher ground. Everybody stopped. And then the guards recovered and they started pushing him down the hallway. And you could hear the chains clanging as they pushed him down the hallway.

But you could hear this condemned man singing about higher ground. And when I heard that song, when I heard him sing, that's when everything changed for me. That was the moment that I knew. I wanted to help condemned people get to higher ground. But I also knew at that moment that my journey to higher ground was going to be tied to his journey.

But you could hear this condemned man singing about higher ground. And when I heard that song, when I heard him sing, that's when everything changed for me. That was the moment that I knew. I wanted to help condemned people get to higher ground. But I also knew at that moment that my journey to higher ground was going to be tied to his journey.

But you could hear this condemned man singing about higher ground. And when I heard that song, when I heard him sing, that's when everything changed for me. That was the moment that I knew. I wanted to help condemned people get to higher ground. But I also knew at that moment that my journey to higher ground was going to be tied to his journey.

And when I went back to Harvard Law School, I was completely changed. You couldn't get me out of the law school library after that because I needed to know everything about federalism and comedy and appellate procedure and criminal procedure and habeas corpus and all of the procedural doctrines. I needed to become a master of the law. because I wanted to help condemned people get to higher ground.

And when I went back to Harvard Law School, I was completely changed. You couldn't get me out of the law school library after that because I needed to know everything about federalism and comedy and appellate procedure and criminal procedure and habeas corpus and all of the procedural doctrines. I needed to become a master of the law. because I wanted to help condemned people get to higher ground.

And when I went back to Harvard Law School, I was completely changed. You couldn't get me out of the law school library after that because I needed to know everything about federalism and comedy and appellate procedure and criminal procedure and habeas corpus and all of the procedural doctrines. I needed to become a master of the law. because I wanted to help condemned people get to higher ground.