Summary
Prejean decides to visit death row as Patrick’s spiritual
advisor. She visits with the Catholic chaplain of the prison, who
tells her that the men inside are the “scum of the earth” and that
she should not let herself be conned by them.
Angola prison is on the site of a former plantation that
was named for the country from which most of the slaves came. As
Prejean arrives at Angola, she sees a row of predominately black
prisoners carrying hoes on their way out to the field. They are surrounded
by armed guards. Angola has a long history of abuse, including locking
prisoners in a cellblock later converted into a dog kennel.
In September, the prison grants Prejean permission to
become Patrick’s spiritual advisor and visit him. Prejean describes
the inside of death row: the gates closing behind her, the heavy
mesh screen that separates visitors and inmates, and the stark isolation.
She tries to make sense of what it means for the government of the
United States to kill its citizens.
Patrick enters the room rattling his chains and joking
with the guard. He has a handsome face, kinder than the one Prejean
saw in the photograph. Patrick gives her a gift: a picture frame
made out of cigarette packages. He has clean, shapely hands and
is eager to please. He talks about his ex-wife, Helen, and his eleven-year-old daughter,
Star. He and his brother Eddie grew up poor. Their father wasn’t
around much; he died of cancer when Patrick was eleven. As children,
Patrick and Eddie hunted rabbits for food. After eighth grade, Patrick
dropped out of school and began working as a truck driver; later
he moved on to oil rigs. By the time she has to leave, Prejean has
a terrible headache and is grateful to be out of the prison. She
notes that Patrick never once discussed his crime. She realizes that
she should have reached out to the victims’ families, not just to Patrick.
Prejean continues to write and visit Patrick every month.
Patrick, unlike his brother Eddie, has no disciplinary write-ups.
In March of 1983, Prejean visits Eddie for the first time. He is
a nervous, “tortured man” who lives in lock-down. Eddie tells Prejean
about prison life, saying he prefers lock-down to being with the
general population. In July, Patrick learns that his new execution
date has been set for August 19, 1983. She begins to visit him every
week. One day, the guards weigh and measure Patrick so they will
be prepared if he resists on his execution day.
The day before his scheduled execution, Patrick waits
to be moved to the death house. He has lost weight and is unable
to sleep. Prejean tells Patrick that his attorney has filed a petition
asking for a stay of execution. Another lawyer working on Patrick’s
behalf, Tom Dybdahl, says he is ninety-five percent sure they will
get one. Prejean tells Patrick that if he dies, she wants to be
there with him so that he can see at least one loving face. He says
he wishes he knew if his death would be swift or drawn out.
