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certainty whether or not Graham’s gun had fired the bullet responsible for the death. In 1988, four witnesses came forward claiming that Graham had been with them on the night of the murder. An appeal was made against the guilty verdict, but it was turned down. Other holes were then found in the prosecution’s case. For example, two of the witnesses claimed the murderer was under 5’3” tall; Graham was 5’10” tall. In all, a total of 33 appeals were made against the verdict, and each one was rejected. When Graham began his sentence, he was a rebellious young man who frequently fought with his jailers. Over the years, he became more resigned to his fate. He saw himself as a casualty in a war against injustice. When the scheduled date of execution drew near, Graham’s lawyers made a final appeal for mercy to George W. Bush, who at the time was the state’s governor. Bush took the advice of the Texas parole board and turned down the appeal.

Words to Understand in This Chapter

ballistics— the science that studies the movement of objects (such as bullets or rockets) that are shot or forced to move forward through the air. capital punishment— the death penalty for a crime. cross-examine— to question a witness who has already testified in order to check or discredit the witness’s testimony, knowledge, or credibility. execution— the act of killing someone especially as punishment for a crime. lethal injection— the practice of injecting a combination of poisons into a person with a fatal dose of drugs to cause immediate death.

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Capital Punishment