Dead Man Walking

In the immediate aftermath of Sonnier’s execution, Prejean and her sister Ann reel from the experience, Ann shaken from the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams monitoring her every move as she said outside the prison during the execution. Prejean is occupied with the thought of Sonnier being prepared for burial, recalling that he once recounted to her his desire to become a mortician. Extending her heartfelt thanks to Millard, Prejean then prepares for Sonnier’s funeral the following day. At the same funeral home Prejean attended as a child, about 30 people gather, “half family members and half nuns” (98). Warden Maggio allows Eddie to attend, and is greeted warmly by his niece Star, but Mrs. Sonnier does not attend. After the funeral, Prejean collects Sonnier’s few possessions, which he had entrusted to her care, and she thinks about how he died in such a misleadingly neat and tidy fashion. “Nobody feels personally responsible for the death of this man” (101), and some may even feel like they helped him die with dignity.

Afterward, Prejean meets with the head of the Louisiana Department of Corrections, C. Philip Phelps, who is remarkably candid about his lack of confidence in capacity for capital punishment to deter further crimes or achieve justice. In his work, he intends to “make the ‘process’ as ‘humane’ as possible” (103), but personal convictions cannot interfere with professional responsibilities. Phelps does come across as sincere and well-intentioned, but he also uses abstract language to describe executions, and in the course of arguing with Prejean about whether Sonnier was tortured, he admits that “never in a million years” would he want to witness an execution firsthand (105). Prejean leaves the interview distressed that Phelps, like many others she has encountered, does not act as his conscience seems to demand.

Soon after, Prejean and her sister go to visit Gladys Sonnier; they are upset with how media coverage skewed certain facts to play up their estrangement when Pat had in fact insisted she not be at his execution or funeral. Prejean drops off Pat’s things, and as she prepares to go back to her old ministry, wonders if the experience has changed her irrevocably. There is intense public outcry when word gets out that Sonnier received a Catholic burial with a bishop in attendance. In response, Prejean urges the bishop to visit the victims’ families as well. Prejean learns of a crime very similar to Sonnier’s that took place soon after his execution, proving that “Pat Sonnier’s execution did not deter the perpetrator of a similar crime” (110). Prejean accepts an interview from a local humor columnist, who titled her a “controversial nun,” leading Prejean to remark: “[G]et involved with poor people and controversy follows you like a hungry dog” (111).

Prejean starts to plan training for others to become spiritual advisors for death-row inmates and works with Millard to set up a legal representation fund. She continues her research into capital punishment around the world, where the United States stands in the company of Iran and Saddam Hussein’s Iraq for its number of executions, including of juveniles. Only the United States insists that capital punishment is not cruel, so long as it was “evenly handed out” without obvious discrimination against race or class (114). The court even considers it an “appropriate” penalty in some instances (115), even though they acknowledge its ineffectiveness as a deterrent. Deciding to work toward the abolition of capital punishment, Prejean is only ready to work one case at a time, and Millard gives her the name of Robert Lee Willie.