Dead Man Walking

Thatʼs what they call me. Not my name, James, ’cause thatʼs to harsh. Thatʼs what they call us all. And they are right. We have no hope, no life, no chance.

Some of us are here for actual crimes. Some aren't. It doesnʼt matter to the guards; we are just criminals.

I fought it. I fought every second. But in the end, a state lawyer is a about as good as a bowl of rice when your up on the stand. As a poor man, I couldnʼt afford anything else. So I lost. “The eye doesnʼt lie," they claimed. "You were there!” With no alibi, I might as well not even tried.

None of us know the time. Itʼs a dark world Iʼm in. Most of us have given up. Most of us have nothing more to lose.

I figure I have a year or so more before they get around to me. Iʼm a new addition. So maybe there is hope. I might get to see my family, my wife and two children. Little Johnʼs almost nine now, and Jacobʼs 12. His birthday was yesterday. At least I got to write a letter. Still…I feel hopeless, lost, useless. I know my wife's'trying to scrape together the money for a true lawyer, a real case! Maybe, I will be proven innocent! Maybe I will--

Prison Log: James Nomer

Execution: October 18, 2003

Note: Proven innocent three years after execution with new DNA testing. Family could not be found for compensation.

End of Log