Sunday. What had been probable on Thursday, even likelier on Friday, and virtually certain on Saturday became the numbing1 truth during the night, so that on Sunday morning the country awoke to the sensational2 reality that an innocent man had been executed. Led by the New York Times and the Washington Post, the big dailies railed and ranted3, and all reached the same conclusion--it's time to stop the killing4. The story was page one in both papers, and in dozens of others from Boston to San Francisco. Lengthy5 articles gave the history of the case, and the characters were well advertised, with Robbie Flak getting as much attention as Donte. Screeching6 editorials called for a moratorium7 on executions. There were countless8 guest columns by legal experts, defense9 lawyers, death-penalty abolitionists, professors, activists11, ministers, even a couple of men on death row, and the same conclusion was reached: now that we have unassailable evidence of a wrongful execution, the only fair and sensible course is to stop them forever, or, if that can't be done, at least stop them until the death penalty system can be studied and overhauled12.
In Texas, the Houston Chronicle, a paper that had gradually grown weary of the death penalty but had stopped short of calling for its abolition10, covered its front page with an unrestrained summary of the case. It was a condensed version of Robbie's press conference, with large photographs of Donte, Nicole, and Robbie on page one, and a dozen more on page five. The stories, all six of them, hit hard at the mistakes and peeled skin off Drew Kerber, Paul Koffee, and Judge Vivian Grale. The identities of the villains13 were clear; blame was inescapable. One reporter was on the trail of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, and it was obvious that there would be no place for the court to hide. Chief Justice Milton Prudlowe was unavailable for comment, as were the other eight justices. The clerk of the court, Mr. Emerson Pugh, refused comment. However, Cicely Avis, the Defender14 Group lawyer who tried to enter Pugh's office at 5:07 Thursday afternoon, had plenty to say. The details were emerging, with more stories sure to come. Another Chronicle reporter was stalking the governor and his staff, all evidently in full retreat.
Reactions varied15 around the state. Newspapers known to be generally moderate in their politics--those in Austin and San Antonio--called for outright16 abolition of the death penalty. The Dallas paper was on record calling for a moratorium. Newspapers that were firmly on the right went light on the editorials but could not resist full-blown coverage17 of the events in Slone.
On television, the Sunday morning talk shows all found room for the story, though the presidential campaign was still the main topic. On cable, Donte Drumm had been the lead story since Robbie's press conference twenty-four hours earlier, and it showed no signs of slipping to number two. At least one of the subplots had been deemed important enough to have its own title: "The Hunt for Travis Boyette" could be seen every thirty minutes. On the Internet, the story was all the rage, showing five times more hits than anything else. Anti-death-penalty bloggers railed with uncontrolled fury.
As tragic18 as it was, the story was a huge gift for those on the left. On the right, things were predictably quiet. Those who supported the death penalty were not likely to change, not overnight anyway, but there seemed to be a general feeling that it was a good time to say nothing. The hard-right cable shows and AM radio commentators19 simply ignored the story.
In Slone, Sunday was still a day of worship. At the Bethel African Methodist Church, a crowd much larger than normal gathered for the 8:00 a.m. call to worship, to be followed by Sunday school, a men's prayer breakfast, choir20 practice, Bible lessons, coffee and doughnuts, and eventually the worship hour, which would go on far longer than sixty minutes. Some were there in hopes of seeing one of the Drumms, preferably Roberta, and maybe offering a quiet word of condolence. But the Drumm family needed rest and stayed at home. Some were there because they needed to talk, to hear the gossip, to lend support or to receive it.
Whatever the motive21, the sanctuary22 was overflowing23 when the Reverend Johnny Canty stepped to the pulpit and warmly welcomed the crowd. It didn't take long to get to the issue of Donte Drumm. It would've been easy to stir up his people, to throw gas on the fire, to hit all the open targets, but Reverend Canty was not inclined to do so. He talked about Roberta and her grace under pressure, her agony in watching her son die, her strength, her love for her children. He talked about the urge for revenge, and how Jesus turned the other cheek. He prayed for patience and tolerance24 and the wisdom of good men to deal with what had happened. He talked about Martin Luther King and his courage in bringing about change by eschewing25 violence. It's man's nature to strike back, but the second blow leads to the third, and the fourth. He thanked his flock for laying down their arms and getting off the streets.
Remarkably26, it had been a quiet night in Slone. Canty reminded his people that Donte Drumm's name was now famous; it was a symbol that would bring about change. "Let us not smear27 it with more blood, more violence."
After a thirty-minute warm-up, the worshippers fanned out through the church to pursue the usual Sunday morning activities.
A mile away, members of the First Baptist Church began arriving for a unique worship experience. The rubble28 of their sanctuary was still lined with yellow police tape, still a crime scene under active investigation29. In a parking lot, a large white tent had been erected30. Beneath it were rows of folding chairs and tables covered with food. The dress was casual, the mood generally upbeat. After a quick breakfast they sang hymns31, old-time gospel tunes32 with a beat and lyrics33 they knew by heart. The chairman of the deacons spoke34 about the fire and, more important, about the new church they would build. They had insurance, they had faith, they would borrow, if necessary, but a beautiful new sanctuary would rise from the ashes, all to the glory of the Lord.
Reeva was not in attendance. She had not come out of the house. Frankly35, she was hardly missed. Her friends felt her pain, now that her daughter had been found, but with Reeva the pain had been relentless36 for nine years. Her friends could not help but remember the vigils by the Red River, the marathon prayer sessions, the endless tirades37 in the press, the enthusiastic embrace of victimhood, all in an effort to extract revenge on that "monster" Donte Drumm. Now that they had executed the wrong monster, and with Reeva happily watching him die, few of her fellow church members wanted to face her. Fortunately, she did not want to face them.
Brother Ronnie was a troubled soul. He had watched his church burn, which was no fault of his, but he had also watched Donte die, and with no small measure of satisfaction. There was a sin in there somewhere. He was a Baptist, a breed noted38 for its creative ways of finding new versions of sin, and he needed forgiveness. He shared this with his congregation. He bared his soul, admitted he was wrong, and asked them to pray for him. He seemed genuinely humbled39 and distressed40.
Arrangements for Nicole's funeral were incomplete. Brother Ronnie explained that he had talked with Reeva by phone--she was not taking visitors--and the church Web site would post the details when the family made decisions. Nicole was still in Missouri, and the authorities there had not said when they would release her.
The tent was being watched closely. Across the street, on property that did not belong to the church, two dozen or so reporters loitered about, most with cameras. If not for the presence of several quite edgy41 police officers, the reporters would have been under the tent, recording42 every word, making a nuisance of themselves.
Slone had never been more divided than on that Sunday morning, but even at that dark hour there was some circling of the wagons43. The number of reporters and cameras had steadily44 increased since Thursday, and everyone in town felt an element of the siege. The man on the street had stopped talking to reporters. City officials had nothing but "No comment." Not a single word could be pried45 out of the courthouse. And in certain places, the police increased their presence and sharpened their attitude. Any reporter trying to get near the Drumm home was likely to be handled roughly. The funeral home where Donte was resting was strictly46 off-limits. Reeva's house was being guarded by cousins and friends, but the police were nearby, just waiting for some clown with a camera to intrude47. Robbie Flak could take care of himself, and was doing a fine job of it, but his home and office were patrolled every hour. And on Sunday morning, the devoted48 Christians50 who worshipped at the Bethel African Methodist Church, and at the First Baptist Church, were able to do so without intrusion. The Slone Police Department made sure of it.
At St. Mark's Lutheran, the Reverend Keith Schroeder assumed the pulpit and startled his congregation with the most gripping opening of any sermon yet. "Last Thursday, the State of Texas executed an innocent man. If you've missed the story, then I don't know where you've been. Most of you know the facts of the case, but what you don't know is that the real killer51 was here last Sunday, sitting right over there. His name is Travis Boyette, a convicted felon52, released a few weeks ago from the prison in Lansing and assigned to a halfway53 house on Seventeenth Street here in Topeka."
No one in the crowd of two hundred seemed to be breathing. Those who had been planning naps were suddenly wide-awake. Keith was amused at the odd looks he was getting. He went on: "No, I'm not kidding. And while I would like to say that Mr. Boyette was attracted to our little church because of its reputation for great preaching, the truth is that he came because he was troubled. First thing Monday morning, he was in my study to talk about his problems. He then made his way down to Texas and tried to stop the execution of Donte Drumm. He was unsuccessful. Somehow, he got away."
Keith's initial plan was to describe his adventures in Texas, in what would undoubtedly54 be his most fascinating sermon ever. He was not afraid of the truth; he wanted it told. He assumed his church would find out sooner or later, and he was determined55 to confront the issue head-on. However, Dana had maintained that the wiser course was to wait until he met with a lawyer. Admitting to a crime, especially in such a public manner, without the advice of counsel, seemed risky56. She prevailed, and Keith decided57 on a different message.
As a minister, he steadfastly58 refused to mix politics and religion. In the pulpit, he had stayed away from issues such as gay rights, abortion59, and war, preferring instead to teach what Jesus taught--love your neighbor, help the less fortunate, forgive others because you have been forgiven, and follow God's laws.
However, after witnessing the execution, Keith was a different person, or at least a different preacher. Suddenly, confronting social injustice60 was far more important than making his flock feel good each Sunday. He would begin hitting the issues, always from the Christian49 perspective and never from the politician's, and if it rankled61 folks, too bad. He was tired of playing it safe.
"Would Jesus witness an execution without trying to stop it?" he asked. "Would Jesus approve of laws that allow us to kill those who have killed?" The answer to both was no, and for a full hour, in the longest sermon of his career, Keith explained why not.
Before dark on Sunday afternoon, Roberta Drumm, with her three children, their spouses62, and her five grandchildren, walked a few blocks to Washington Park. They had made the same walk the day before, and for the same purpose. They met with the young people congregated63 there and in one-on-one conversations talked about Donte's death and what it was doing to all of them. The rap was turned off. The crowd became quiet and respectful. At one point, several dozen gathered around Roberta and listened as she pleaded for civility. In a strong, eloquent64 voice, and sometimes pointing for emphasis, she said, "Please don't desecrate65 the memory of my son with more bloodshed. I don't want the name of Donte Drumm to be remembered as the reason for a race riot here in Slone. Nothing you do out here on the streets will help our people. Violence creates more violence, and in the end we lose. Please, go home and hug your mother."
To his people, Donte Drumm was already a legend. The courage of his mother inspired them to go home.
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1
numbing
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| adj.使麻木的，使失去感觉的v.使麻木，使麻痹( numb的现在分词 ) | |
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sensational
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| adj.使人感动的，非常好的，轰动的，耸人听闻的 | |
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ranted
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| v.夸夸其谈( rant的过去式和过去分词 )；大叫大嚷地以…说教；气愤地)大叫大嚷；不停地大声抱怨 | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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lengthy
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| adj.漫长的，冗长的 | |
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screeching
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| v.发出尖叫声( screech的现在分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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moratorium
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| n.(行动、活动的)暂停(期)，延期偿付 | |
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countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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abolition
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| n.废除，取消 | |
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activists
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| n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 ) | |
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overhauled
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| v.彻底检查( overhaul的过去式和过去分词 )；大修；赶上；超越 | |
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villains
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| n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼 | |
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defender
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| n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人 | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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outright
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| adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的 | |
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coverage
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| n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖 | |
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tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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commentators
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| n.评论员( commentator的名词复数 )；时事评论员；注释者；实况广播员 | |
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choir
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| n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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sanctuary
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| n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区 | |
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overflowing
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| n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
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tolerance
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| n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差 | |
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eschewing
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| v.（尤指为道德或实际理由而）习惯性避开，回避( eschew的现在分词 ) | |
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remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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smear
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| v.涂抹；诽谤，玷污；n.污点；诽谤，污蔑 | |
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rubble
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| n.（一堆）碎石，瓦砾 | |
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investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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hymns
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌( hymn的名词复数 ) | |
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tunes
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| n.曲调，曲子( tune的名词复数 )v.调音( tune的第三人称单数 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调 | |
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lyrics
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| n.歌词 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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relentless
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| adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的 | |
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tirades
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| 激烈的长篇指责或演说( tirade的名词复数 ) | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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humbled
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| adj. 卑下的，谦逊的，粗陋的 vt. 使 ... 卑下，贬低 | |
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distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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edgy
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| adj.不安的；易怒的 | |
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recording
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| n.录音，记录 | |
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wagons
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| n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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45
pried
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| v.打听，刺探（他人的私事）( pry的过去式和过去分词 )；撬开 | |
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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intrude
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| vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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51
killer
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| n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者 | |
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felon
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| n.重罪犯；adj.残忍的 | |
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53
halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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54
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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risky
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| adj.有风险的，冒险的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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58
steadfastly
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| adv.踏实地，不变地；岿然；坚定不渝 | |
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abortion
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| n.流产，堕胎 | |
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injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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rankled
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| v.（使）痛苦不已，（使）怨恨不已( rankle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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spouses
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| n.配偶，夫或妻( spouse的名词复数 ) | |
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congregated
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| （使）集合，聚集( congregate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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64
eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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desecrate
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| v.供俗用，亵渎，污辱 | |
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