Bryan Stevenson

I had not been in a maximum prison. I'd done some work at a low-level prison in the Boston area, but first time in any kind of secure maximum prison. And I just started to feel completely unprepared. And I parked my car and I went into the prison. The guards were not very nice. They sent me to the back in this visitation room.

I had not been in a maximum prison. I'd done some work at a low-level prison in the Boston area, but first time in any kind of secure maximum prison. And I just started to feel completely unprepared. And I parked my car and I went into the prison. The guards were not very nice. They sent me to the back in this visitation room.

And I was so anxious that I tried to rehearse exactly what I was going to say. And then they brought this condemned man into the room. And I remember being struck by how burdened with chains he was. He had handcuffs on his wrist. He had a chain around his waist. He had shackles on his ankles. It took them 10 minutes to unchain him. And he walked over to me and I was so overwhelmed.

And I was so anxious that I tried to rehearse exactly what I was going to say. And then they brought this condemned man into the room. And I remember being struck by how burdened with chains he was. He had handcuffs on his wrist. He had a chain around his waist. He had shackles on his ankles. It took them 10 minutes to unchain him. And he walked over to me and I was so overwhelmed.

And I was so anxious that I tried to rehearse exactly what I was going to say. And then they brought this condemned man into the room. And I remember being struck by how burdened with chains he was. He had handcuffs on his wrist. He had a chain around his waist. He had shackles on his ankles. It took them 10 minutes to unchain him. And he walked over to me and I was so overwhelmed.

I just started to apologize. I said, I'm so sorry. I'm just a law student. I don't know anything about the death penalty. I don't know anything about criminal procedure. I don't know anything about appellate procedure, civil procedure. And then I remembered what I was supposed to say. I said, but they sent me down here to tell you that you're not at risk of execution anytime in the next year.

I just started to apologize. I said, I'm so sorry. I'm just a law student. I don't know anything about the death penalty. I don't know anything about criminal procedure. I don't know anything about appellate procedure, civil procedure. And then I remembered what I was supposed to say. I said, but they sent me down here to tell you that you're not at risk of execution anytime in the next year.

I just started to apologize. I said, I'm so sorry. I'm just a law student. I don't know anything about the death penalty. I don't know anything about criminal procedure. I don't know anything about appellate procedure, civil procedure. And then I remembered what I was supposed to say. I said, but they sent me down here to tell you that you're not at risk of execution anytime in the next year.

And when I said that, the man said, wait, wait, wait, say that again. I said, you're not at risk of execution anytime in the next year. And the man said, wait, wait, say that again. I said, you're not at risk of execution anytime in the next year. And that's when this man hugged me. And he said, thank you, thank you, thank you.

And when I said that, the man said, wait, wait, wait, say that again. I said, you're not at risk of execution anytime in the next year. And the man said, wait, wait, say that again. I said, you're not at risk of execution anytime in the next year. And that's when this man hugged me. And he said, thank you, thank you, thank you.

And when I said that, the man said, wait, wait, wait, say that again. I said, you're not at risk of execution anytime in the next year. And the man said, wait, wait, say that again. I said, you're not at risk of execution anytime in the next year. And that's when this man hugged me. And he said, thank you, thank you, thank you.

He said, you're the first person I've met in the two years I've been on death row who's not a death row prisoner or death row guard. He said, I've been talking to my wife and kids, but I haven't let them come and visit because I was afraid I'd have an execution date and I don't want them to have to deal with that. He said, now because of you, I'm going to see my wife, I'm going to see my kids.

He said, you're the first person I've met in the two years I've been on death row who's not a death row prisoner or death row guard. He said, I've been talking to my wife and kids, but I haven't let them come and visit because I was afraid I'd have an execution date and I don't want them to have to deal with that. He said, now because of you, I'm going to see my wife, I'm going to see my kids.

He said, you're the first person I've met in the two years I've been on death row who's not a death row prisoner or death row guard. He said, I've been talking to my wife and kids, but I haven't let them come and visit because I was afraid I'd have an execution date and I don't want them to have to deal with that. He said, now because of you, I'm going to see my wife, I'm going to see my kids.

And I couldn't believe how even in my ignorance, just being proximate, could have an impact on the quality of someone's life. That man and I, it turned out, were exactly the same age. We had the same birth date, same month, same day, same year. He started asking me questions about my life. I asked him questions about his life. And we just fell into this conversation.

And I couldn't believe how even in my ignorance, just being proximate, could have an impact on the quality of someone's life. That man and I, it turned out, were exactly the same age. We had the same birth date, same month, same day, same year. He started asking me questions about my life. I asked him questions about his life. And we just fell into this conversation.

And I couldn't believe how even in my ignorance, just being proximate, could have an impact on the quality of someone's life. That man and I, it turned out, were exactly the same age. We had the same birth date, same month, same day, same year. He started asking me questions about my life. I asked him questions about his life. And we just fell into this conversation.

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.

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.