“Condemned” is a compilation of the correspondence between Irish author Sean O’ Riain and an inmate on death row in the United States, known as “Ray” in the book. Riain became involved in writing letters to a death row inmate through the Comunita di Sant’Egidio, an organization in Rome that partners death row inmates with penfriends around the world. “Ray” is on death row for killing a man–-a crime he committed at a young age, and now freely admits and deeply regrets. Among the many glimpses of life on death row explored in this book is “Ray“‘s rehabilition. He writes, “I want to prove to the nay-sayer that I can be a productive citizen out in the world, I’ve grown up a lot since I came here and I’d like to make the ones I’ve disappointed throughout my lifetime proud of what I’ve become now.”
(‘Ray’ and S. O’ Riain, “Condemned: Letters from Death Row,” Liberties Press (2008); posted May 5, 2010). See Death Row. Click here for more Books on the death penalty.
