Last Sat. was the 13th anniversary of the execution of Elijah Page at the prison.  About two hours before he died, his family called the prison to see if someone from the chapel could go to see him, physically touch him, and let him know his family loved him.  The warden permitted the Lutheran chaplain and me to go to see him and hold his hands through the food port in his cell on death row while we talked to him.

He could still be alive filing appeals if he wanted like his co-conspirator, but he couldn't stand going the rest of his life without going outside into fresh air and sunlight.  After he died I found out his father was part Native American and got out of prison himself just in time to come to Sioux Falls to see his son a day before the execution.

Mary Montoya