The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions

work by Prejean

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July 21, 2026

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"The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions" is a book by Sister Helen Prejean that critiques the American death penalty system. Prejean, a nun and activist, details her experiences ministering to death row inmates and highlights flaws in the legal system that can lead to the execution of innocent individuals.1

The book argues that the death penalty is applied unfairly, particularly to poor people and people of color, and that inadequate legal representation is a significant issue. It also touches on the moral and ethical objections to capital punishment, with some religious traditions opposing it as immoral and akin to torture. Prejean's work aims to expose the human cost of capital punishment and advocate for its abolition.2314

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Sister Helen Prejean
…Man Walking, Prejean’s second book, The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions (2005), detailed some of Prejean’s personal experiences while ministering on death row but also attacked flaws in the American legal system that allowed innocent people to be executed. In 2019 she published her memoir, River…
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…Man Walking, Prejean’s second book, The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions (2005), detailed some of Prejean’s personal experiences while ministering on death row but also attacked flaws in the American legal system that allowed innocent people to be executed. In 2019 she published her memoir, River…
Read More