Facing the end

Jan Arriens writes about his visit to a friend on death row in Florida

by Jan Arriens 4th March 2016

We are in the visiting room at Florida State Prison. Mike Lambrix, condemned to death, on one side, holding court behind glass and speaking through a small disc with slots. On the other side six of us: his mother, stepfather, daughter, two sisters and me. A constant stream of family banter and teasing masks the awfulness of the situation.