Death Row Quotes

“[T]here are some human rights that are so deep that we can't negotiate them away. I mean people do heinous, terrible things. But there are basic human rights I believe that every human being has. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the United Nations says it for me. And it says there are two basic rights that can't be negotiated that government doesn't give for good behavior and doesn't take away for bad behavior. And it's the right not to be tortured and not to be killed. Because the flip side of this is that then when you say OK we're gonna turn over -- they truly have done heinous things, so now we will turn over to the government now the right to take their life. It involves other people in doing essentially the same kind of act."

(PBS Frontline: Angel on Death Row)”
― Sister Helen Prejean

“Prison is designed to separate, isolate, and alienate you from everyone and everything. You're not allowed to do so much as touch your spouse, your parents, your children. The system does everything within its power to sever any physical or emotional links you have to anyone in the outside world. They want your children to grow up without ever knowing you.They want your spouse to forget your face and start a new life. They want you to sit alone, grieving, in a concrete box, unable even to say your last farewell at a parent's funeral.”
― Damien Echols, Life After Death

“Only those who will love longer than they expected to can truly love pecan pie, which doesn't explain its status as death rows most requested last dessert, or why chopped pecans, corn syrup, directions from the Karo bottle's cherry-red side are what mercy taste like to some. But there you have it.”
― Kate Lebo, A Commonplace Book of Pie

“The window is the reason the death row inmates go to the visiting room to see their lawyers and investigators. The lawyers think their clients want to see them. No, they want to see the window.”
― Rene Denfeld, The Enchanted

“I’m sorry you lost your mom, but man, you got to look at this a different way. Now you have someone in heaven who is going to argue your case before god. It was silent for a few moments and then the most amazing thing happened, on a dark night in what must surely be the most desolate and dehumanizing place on earth, a man laughed.”
― Anthony Ray Hinton, The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row

“Death row is a place for broken people
just like Tom Hanks.
They can't be fixed,
warped all out of shape
by the cracks and splinters inside them.

And what else can you do with stuff that's broken
except throw it in the trash?

Right?”
― Sarah Crossan, Moonrise

“My relatives worked hard all the time but never seemed to prosper. My grandfather was murdered when I was a teenager, but it didn't seem to matter much to the world outside our family.”
― Bryan Stevenson, Just Mercy

“Even serial killers get last words.”
― A.D. Aliwat, In Limbo

“Like water, life is precious, but most people, through their lack of empathy, prefer to waste it.”
― Michael Bassey Johnson, Song of a Nature Lover

“Everyone on Earth is on Death Row until they find a way out. It’s not so hard to find the way out. The problem is wanting to.”
― Donna Goddard, Faith

“When I first went to death row in December 1983, America was in the early stages of a radical transformation that would turn us into an unprecedentedly harsh and punitive nation and result in mass imprisonment that has no historical parallel. Today we have the highest rate of incarceration in the world. The prison population has increased from 300,000 people in the early 1970s to 2.3 million people today. There are nearly six million people on probation or on parole. One in every fifteen people born in the United States in 2001 is expected to go to jail or prison; one in every three black male babies born in this century is expected to be incarcerated.”
― Bryan Stevenson, Just Mercy

“Lots of people are all cold and heartless. Who do you think works in a prison? Who do you think works on death row? It's a job.”
― Jessamine Chan, The School for Good Mothers

“Raymond Hamilton,' the Judge decreed, 'you are here now to be sentenced, friendless and without money. Have you anything to say as to why sentence should not be passed?'
'Yes, I have,' answered Raymond. 'People,' he began, 'I hope I have a few friends among you I want you to know I never killed anyone. . . . Crowson was going to be killed no matter what I did. . . . and I want to tell you that whenever Simmons and the others get after you together, you don't get fairness. . . . They're afraid they can't hold me, that I'll breakout and call more attention to them, so they get me 'the chair'. . . . I don't know if there's anything like 'haunts' but if there are, I sure do want to come back and kick this whole bunch out of bed every night.'
[...]
As the once-dapper bandit was being led past the crowd, several young women pressed against the railing, some trying to touch the gunman. Looking over his shoulder, Hamilton raised his manacled hands to wave farewell, a smile on his face.”
― John Neal Phillips, Running With Bonnie and Clyde: The Ten Fast Years of Ralph Fults

“Fine." Sesëna folded her arms hotly. "If you want to die an arrogant turd, I'll leave you be."
Colton shook his head adamantly, "I won't die here."
"For a man on death row, you sound awfully sure of yourself”
― R.E. Johnson, The Gift of Evïr

“Kya heard every word. Being dead didn't bother her; they couldn't scare her with threats of ending this shadow life. But the process of being killed by another's hand, planned and set to schedule, was so unthinkable it stopped her breath.”
― Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing

“Kathleen: “Send them all my love and best wishes for happiness.”

Jimmy Dennis: “I’m gonna do that, and you’re gonna keep getting better, alright? I can’t tell you how good it is to hear your voice again”.

Kathleen: (trying hard not to cry) “Jimmy, you take care.”

Jimmy: “You too, Kitty. Hey Andrew, you’re writing a book about someone who changed the legal game. She set precedents that are in place today going forward, but what’s most rare about Kitty Behan is she sees another person as a person. Most people see others in terms of what they can do for you. Kitty saved my life by seeing me as I am, and you quote me on that.”
― Andrew Mallin