Sam said, “Stay away from the press. They lie and they make
mistakes. I don’t want this to happen again.”
Adam reached into his briefcase and pulled out some papers.
“I have a great idea about how to save your life.”
“I’m listening.”
“I’ve got a theory, a new claim which I intend to file on
Monday. Mississippi is one o f only five states still using the gas
chamber, right?”
“That’s right.”
“And Mississippi passed a law in 1984 giving a man the choice
o f dying by lethal injection or in the gas chamber. But the new
law applies only to those found guilty after July 1,1984. It doesn’t
apply to you.”
“That’s right. I don’t get a choice.”
“One o f the reasons for the new law was to make the killings
less cruel. I’ve studied the history behind the law and there was a
lot o f discussion o f problems the state’s had with gas chamber
executions. Lethal injections raise fewer legal problems. The state
has in effect said that gas chamber executions should no longer
be used, because the gas chamber is a cruel way to kill people.”
Sam nodded slowly. “Keep going,” he said.
“We attack the gas chamber as a method o f execution. I know
there were problems with Teddy Doyle Meeks and Maynard
Tole.”
Sam laughed bitterly. “Problems? You could say that.”
“How much do you know?”
“They died within fifty yards o f me.” Sam leaned forward.