Dead Man Walking Quotes
A nun, while comforting a convicted killer on death row, empathizes with both the killer and his victim's families.
Hilton Barber: [at Matthew Poncelet's appeals hearing] The death penalty. It's nothin' new; it's been with us for centuries. We've buried people alive; lopped off their heads with an axe; burned them alive at a public square... gruesome spectacles. In this century, we kept searchin' for more and more *humane* ways... of killin' people that we didn't like. We've shot 'em with firing squads; suffocated 'em, in the gas chamber. But now... Now we have developed a device that is the most humane of all. Lethal injection. We strap the guy up. We anesthetize him with shot number one; then we give him shot number two, and that implodes his lungs, and shot number three stops... his heart. We put 'em to death just like an old horse. His face just, goes to sleep, while, inside, his organs are going through armageddon. The muscles of his face would twist, and contort, and pull, but you see, shot number one relaxes all those muscles so we don't have to see any horror show... We don't have to taste the blood of revenge on our lips, while this, human being's organs writhe, and twist, and contort... We just sit there, quietly. Nod our heads, and say: 'Justice has been done.'
Prison guard: Tell me something sister, what is nun doing in a place like this. Shouldn't you be teaching children? Didn't you know what this man has done? How he killed them kids?
Sister Helen Prejean: What he was involved with was evil. I don't condone it. I just don't see the sense of killing people to say that killing people's wrong.
Prison guard: You know what the Bible say, 'An eye for an eye'.
Sister Helen Prejean: You know what else the Bible ask for death as a punishment? For adultery, prostitution, homosexuality, trespass upon sacred grounds, profane in a sabbath and contempt to parents.
Prison guard: I ain't gonna get no Bible quote from no nun cause I'm gonna lose.
Sister Helen Prejean: What he was involved with was evil. I don't condone it. I just don't see the sense of killing people to say that killing people's wrong.
Prison guard: You know what the Bible say, 'An eye for an eye'.
Sister Helen Prejean: You know what else the Bible ask for death as a punishment? For adultery, prostitution, homosexuality, trespass upon sacred grounds, profane in a sabbath and contempt to parents.
Prison guard: I ain't gonna get no Bible quote from no nun cause I'm gonna lose.
Prison guard: Do you have any last words, Poncelet?
Matthew Poncelet: Yes, I do.
[pauses]
Matthew Poncelet: Mr. Delacroix, I don't wanna leave this world with any hate in my heart. I ask your forgiveness for what I done. It was a terrible thing I done, taking your son away from you.
Clyde Percy: [Softly to his wife] How about us?
Matthew Poncelet: Mr. and Mrs. Percy, I hope my death gives you some relief.
Matthew Poncelet: Yes, I do.
[pauses]
Matthew Poncelet: Mr. Delacroix, I don't wanna leave this world with any hate in my heart. I ask your forgiveness for what I done. It was a terrible thing I done, taking your son away from you.
Clyde Percy: [Softly to his wife] How about us?
Matthew Poncelet: Mr. and Mrs. Percy, I hope my death gives you some relief.
Sister Colleen: If Matt dies, guess who he'll be buried next to?
Sister Helen Prejean: Who's the last person to die?
Sister Colleen: Sister Celestine.
Sister Helen Prejean: Oh Lord.
Sister Colleen: You remember when that sweet little girl in the convent came after her wedding day to introduce her husband to us?
Sister Helen Prejean: Sister Celestine said, "I'm glad I never had to share my bed with a man."
Sister Colleen: She loved her celibacy so much.
Sister Helen Prejean: I know. She's gonna be lying next to a man for all eternity.
Sister Helen Prejean: Who's the last person to die?
Sister Colleen: Sister Celestine.
Sister Helen Prejean: Oh Lord.
Sister Colleen: You remember when that sweet little girl in the convent came after her wedding day to introduce her husband to us?
Sister Helen Prejean: Sister Celestine said, "I'm glad I never had to share my bed with a man."
Sister Colleen: She loved her celibacy so much.
Sister Helen Prejean: I know. She's gonna be lying next to a man for all eternity.
Matthew Poncelet: I like rebels. Some blacks is ok. Martin Luther King, he led his people all the way to DC and kicked the white man's butt.
Sister Helen Prejean: You respect Martin Luther King?
Matthew Poncelet: He put up a fight. He wasn't lazy.
Sister Helen Prejean: What about lazy whites?
Matthew Poncelet: Don't like 'em.
Sister Helen Prejean: So it's lazy people you don't like?
Sister Helen Prejean: You respect Martin Luther King?
Matthew Poncelet: He put up a fight. He wasn't lazy.
Sister Helen Prejean: What about lazy whites?
Matthew Poncelet: Don't like 'em.
Sister Helen Prejean: So it's lazy people you don't like?
