Dead Man Walking Page #2

You got guts.

You live in a neighborhood

with every n*gger carrying a gun.

Come on, Helen, hit it!

Playing possum, huh?

Think you can trick us,

you dumb animal?

Think you can fool us?

How fast was I going?

- Seventy-five miles an hour, ma'am.

- Wow.

- You a nun?

- Yes, sir.

Never gave a ticket to no nun before.

Gave a ticket to a guy

from the IrS one time.

Got audited the next year.

Tell you what, Sister,

I'll let this slide.

- But keep your speed down.

- Yes, sir.

On Friday night, Walter Delacroix,

age 17, and Hope Percy, 18...

...had been two happy people

celebrating a life-turning point.

They were shot twice at close range in

the back of the head with a .22 rifle.

In addition to murder, Poncelet

and Vitello face six counts...

...of aggravated kidnapping

and one charge of aggravated rape.

-- handcuff the man and molest--

-- four weeks before the murder

the two men allegedly cut...

...a wide path of terror

across the area.

A police spokesman said today,

in the wake of the murders--

Poncelet addressed

the judge as "Cap"...

...and smirked when they found him

guilty of murder today.

Poncelet claims Vitello

killed both of them.

- Y'all think he's lying.

- Vitello accuses Poncelet.

Both say the other did the killing.

Somebody's lying to somebody.

They were both there. We know that.

Then how is it possible one guy

gets life, the other death?

Probably a stronger case

against Poncelet.

Vitello had a better lawyer.

Created a reasonable doubt

in the jury's mind.

And Vitello gets life, Poncelet death.

Bad luck.

He needs help, Sister.

There's a lawyer, Hilton Barber.

He's aware of the case, told me no.

Maybe you can change his mind.

With the aim of a new trial

and getting him out?

I'm not sure I want to run

into this guy on the street.

He's not getting off.

He was an accomplice. That's life.

Life sentences in a

Louisiana prison is for real.

I'm trying to stop the State

from killing him.

You want out?

It's cool with me.

You don't have to go back there.

Get tough on sentencing.

Get tough on lenient parole boards.

Get tough on judges

who pass light sentences.

- Hello.

- Sister Helen?

- Who's this?

- Matt Poncelet.

I know I'm on death row, but there's

guys been here years and years.

I didn't know this was coming.

They set a date.

- For what?

- They're gonna kill me.

It's gonna go down on the 13th.

You need a lawyer

to get a pardon hearing.

I'd do it myself if they'd let me.

But they say, "No lawyer, no hearing. "

I think I know of a lawyer

that may be able to help you.

And I'll do my best, all right?

Sister, come through for me.

You're all I got.

They got me on a greased rail

to the death house.

I ain't heard from you.

You ain't fading out on me, are you?

I'll get you the lawyer.

Just try not to worry.

- I'll call you soon.

- All right. Bye.

As far as I'm concerned, it's time

the State got with the program.

Call me sentimental,

but I'd rather see him fry.

Barring any last-minute

appeals or stays...

...he'll die under the State's new

execution procedure.: lethal injection.

- Hello.

- Luis, this is Helen.

I need the name of that lawyer

you wanted me to talk to.

- How long you been doing this?

- Doing this?

- Counseling death row inmates.

- I'm not counseling him.

- I hardly know him, just met him once.

- What's your impression?

I don't know if I like him.

He needs help.

Best thing was to bring him to you.

Well, I'll do my best.

Courts don't want to hear appeals

on death penalty cases.

You can even have

new evidence of innocence...

...and the court won't hear the case.

We're the pariahs. We're--

"Have many rabbit."

Think that's a "for sale" sign

or a cry for help?

Or is it bragging?

lmagine that poor guy.

Bought two rabbits a year ago

and now he's overrun.

Coming like popcorn.

Day before the governor

runs for reelection...

...they set a date for my execution.

Show how tough he is on crime.

I agree with you. Politics did

play a big part in this decision.

But the pardon board

isn't a place to bring it up.

- Why not?

- It's full of political appointees.

Governor's appointees.

They don't want to hear some convicted

killer telling them they is bunk.

We have to present you as a person

and convince them to spare your life.

We have to prove I'm innocent.

We'll file appeals with

the federal and supreme courts...

...but this is a pardon board.

They won't care if you shot the gun.

They'll be thinking of the crime.

And of you as a monster.

It's easy to kill a monster

but hard to kill a human being.

We need people like your mama...

...to speak on your behalf.

She should be there.

She'll just cry till she can't

say nothing, she gonna be so torn up.

Be that as it may,

your mama should be there.

- She'll hear the Delacroixs, the--

- If she's not there--

Excuse me for butting in.

You're right, it's gonna

be upsetting for her.

But she's your mama, Matthew.

Your mama.

She should have the opportunity

to speak for her child.

- She'll just blubber her head off.

- Well, she has the right to do that.

What if you die and she hasn't

had a chance to speak for you?

Don't you think it'll eat at her,

wondering if she could've saved you?

I'll think about it,

but I got my pride.

I won't kiss ass in front of these

people. I won't kiss nobody's ass.

- What are you making, Kenitra?

- An Easter card for Mama.

- What's that?

- Easter Bunny going down a chimney.

Happy Easter.

Yes?

Mrs. Poncelet?

No.

Mrs. Poncelet, please.

Don't live here.

Who is it?

My name is Sister Helen Prejean.

I know your son Matthew.

Happy Easter.

- You sure you're a Sister?

- Yes.

- You're not from the TV?

- No.

You sure?

How do you know Mattie?

I met him on death row.

Well, you never know

who's at your front door.

So, what do you want? Mattie send

you for money, for cigarettes?

No.

So, what do you want?

You know they set the date

for Matthew's execution.

Yeah.

Prison called, said if it goes down,

do I got death insurance?

Ha! What a laugh.

I ain't even got food money.

His pardon board hearing

is this Wednesday...

...and his lawyer thinks it'd be

a good idea if you were there.

What does Mattie think?

He's worried.

He wants to protect you.

Well, it's a little late for that.

That show Inside Crime

did a thing on Mattie...

...and told how I tried

to help him and everything.

A regular Ma Barker or something.

Now I'm famous.

Yesterday, I was in the store...

...and I see these

two ladies eyeing me.

When I get closer,

I hear one of them say:

"I just can't wait to hear that

they have executed that monster...

...Matthew Poncelet."

That's cruel.

My boys are having

a real hard time at school.

Kids picking on them.

Beating them up, calling them names.

Someone put a dead squirrel

inside my little Troy's locker.

Poor boy came home crying.

What did he ever do to anyone?

Just keep trying to figure out

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