Short description
South Africa in the late 1980s. A young warden is arrested after killing, in a senseless shooting spree, 7 black members of a karate team. Admitting guilt and accepting his fate, he refuses to speak about his crime.
Long description
South Africa in the late 1980s. A young warden is arrested after killing, in a senseless shooting spree, 7 black members of a karate team. Admitting guilt and accepting his fate, he refuses to speak about his crime. A Pro Deo attorney is appointed to defend him, who in turn secures the services of a senior counsel from Durban. In the process it turns out that the young man has been doing service on death row, supporting the condemned in their last days with care that was almost tender, before effecting their slaughter at the gallows (cf title). In the 3 weeks prior to the murder he has assisted in the hanging of 32 men. Forming part of the preparation for trial each of these 32 murder cases are considered in their blandly-stated but shocking facts, while the procedures at an execution are described in horrifying yet morbidly fascinating detail. All of this unfolds as the advocate for the defence tries to outfox both his opposition and the judge in a pitifully hopeless case until, in the Pretoria zoo, he stumbles upon an idea that might support an argument to save his client from the gallows.