WITHIN THESE WALLS: Memoirs of a Death House Chaplain

A memoir of Pickett's 15 years as a prison chaplain to death row inmates, this thoughtful, gripping recollection offers a rare firsthand perspective on the use of capital punishment. Pickett's involvement with the local state prison began when he was a minister in Huntsville, Tex., where a grisly 1974 siege at the prison claimed the lives of two of his parishioners. He became chaplain in 1980, and, in all, he ministered to 95 men before their executions. He recalls that even violent criminals felt fear and regret when faced with death, while others were so mentally incapacitated as to have no understanding of their fate, and still others convinced Pickett they were innocent—though they, too, were executed. Although Pickett found this work grueling, he believed it vital to "see that no man arrived at death's door alone." Yet by the time Texas first executed two men in one day in 1995, he'd realized that "there is absolutely no proof that execution in any way deters murder," and worse, that he himself had become part of an accelerated, bureaucratic process of death. He retired and is now a full-time activist and lecturer against the death penalty. With the help of two-time Edgar winner Stowers, Pickett examines this divisive issue from both sides, conveying the humanity of the most heinous criminals as well as the pain of their victims' families, but ultimately indicts what he considers a corrupt and unjust system. 8 pages b&w photos not seen by PW. (May)

Forecast: As Pickett tells how his own position on the death penalty evolved, this may appeal to people in the center who are uncertain about this complex and heated issue.