The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row

Hinton begins the chapter with a startling revelation: One of his fellow death row inmates, Wayne Ritter, has been executed. He realizes it the morning after. While he heard some noises in the night, it was not until morning—and the repellant odors—that he understands what happened. The attending guard laughs at Hinton's response.

Hinton recounts the exploits of the “Execution team” (a self-moniker), but adds: “[E]veryone knew what they really were—the Death Squad” (99). This squad regularly practiced their routine until the time came for the next execution.

The next to be executed is Michael Lindsay. In this instance, Hinton and the other death row inmates do what they can to rebel. They make as much noise as they can, and scream “until the lights stopped flickering and the generator that powered the electric chair turned off” (101). Hinton mentions that Lindsay had had no visitors before his execution, and had spoken no last words. The inmates clamor in the hope that Lindsay would hear their voices.

The executions become regular enough for Hinton to try to assess them as part of his own routine. He receives a letter, from Perhacs. This letter, Hinton reveals, “could be the answer I had been waiting on from the Alabama Supreme Court” (102).