Dead Man Walking
Film Guide (updated 1/11)
Name ________________________
Religion 300
“It is easy to kill a monster. It is hard to kill a human being.”
1.
Briefly explain your stance on the issue of Capital Punishment.
2. What was the name of the place where Sr. Helene Prejean worked?
3. Who was Matthew Poncelet? Why was he convicted?
4. What did he ask Sr. Helene to do after the parole hearing?
5. What happened when the family found out that Sr. Helene was still visiting Poncelet?
6. What happened when the lawyer wanted a private meeting with the Governor?
7. How did Matthew regain his dignity?
8. Do you believe the film fully showed both sides of the argument regarding Capital
Punishment? Why or why not? Give two examples from the film to support your point.
9. The death row inmate in the movie is a very unsavory character. Do such inmates deserve to
have someone from the Church to minister to them while they are in prison? Why or why not?
How should we, society, see Capital Punishment as a social justice issue?
10. We are not told about alternatives to the death penalty in Louisiana, but if you knew that the
alternative punishment was life imprisonment with no possibility of parole, would you support
the death penalty for Matthew Poncelot or the alternative? Why?
11. Do you believe that victims’ families should have a role or a voice in determining the sentence
in a capital case? Should they have a role in the clemency process? Why or why not?
12. How does healing occur for the family members of someone convicted of a capital crime, or
executed by the state? How does healing come to families grieving the loss of a murdered
child? What is our role in assisting with their healing?
13. Give your rating of the film on a scale of 1 – 10. (10 is the highest) Why did you give this film
this particular rating?
14. Name and explain the three traditional justifications for Capital Punishment?