'' is a work of non-fiction by Sister
Helen Prejean , a Roman Catholic nun and one of the
Sisters Of Saint Joseph Of Medaille . She has become a leading American advocate for the abolition of the death penalty. Her crusade began in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1981, through a correspondence she maintained with a convicted murderer, Patrick Sonnier, who was sentenced to death by electrocution. She visited Sonnier in prison and agreed to be his spiritual adviser in the months leading up to his death. The experience gave Prejean greater insight into the process involved in executions and she began speaking out against capital punishment. At the same time, she also founded
Survive , an organization devoted to providing counselling to the families of victims of violence.
In
1995 a film, based on the book of the same name, tells the story of Sister Prejean (played by
Susan Sarandon ), who establishes a special relationship with Matthew Poncelet, a prisoner on
Death Row (played by
Sean Penn ).
Susan Sarandon won the
Academy Award For Best Actress for her role. Sean Penn was nominated for
Best Actor In A Leading Role ,
Tim Robbins for
Best Director and its main track, "Dead Man Walking" by
Bruce Springsteen for
Best Music, Song .
The movie also stars
Robert Prosky ,
Raymond J. Barry and
R. Lee Ermey . Robbins adapted the story himself from Sister Prejean's autobiographical account.
The film takes many liberties with the story that is presented in Prejean's book. For example, it consolidates two different people who Prejean counseled on Death Row into one character, as well as merging their crimes and their victims' families into one event and one family. Lesser details were also removed to shorten the length of the film.
It was also made into an
Opera with the same name, composed by
Jake Heggie from a libretto by
Terrence McNally which premiered at the
San Francisco Opera in October
2000 . The international premier of the opera was in January
2006 , at the Calgary Opera in
Calgary ,
Canada .
In
2002 ,
Tim Robbins wrote a stage version of "Dead Man Walking". Instead of having it produced professionally, in
2004 he offered the play to schools and colleges throughout the
United States , particularly
Jesuit schools. It is part of a three-year project designed to foster discourse and discussion about the death penalty. The project, titled ''The Dead Man Walking School Theatre Project'', is managed by the Death Penalty Discourse Center where Sister Prejean now bases her work. Critics of the project argue that it brings politics into schools and the educational system. Others are more positive, feeling that the project offers students an intellectual challenge and exposure to political and ethical culture.
