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。 Only rarely does the entire court sit en banc； Mr。 Feriday explained again as if he were instructing a first…year student of the law。 The great civil rights decisions of the sixties and seventies took place right here； he said with no small amount of pride。 Portraits of deceased justices hung behind the bench。
As beautiful and stately as it was； Adam hoped he never saw it again； at least not as a lawyer representing a client。 They walked down the hall to the West Courtroom； which was smaller than the first but just as intimidating。 This is where the three…judge panels operate； Mr。 Feriday explained as they walked past the seats in the spectators' section； through the bar and to the podium。 The bench again was elevated； though not as lofty or as long as En Banc。
〃Virtually all oral arguments take place in the morning； beginning at nine；〃 Mr。 Feriday said。 〃Your case is a bit different because it's a death case that's going down to the wire。〃 He pointed a crooked finger at the seats in the back。 〃You'll need to be seated out there a few minutes before one； and the clerk will call the case。 Then you e through the bar and sit right here at counsel table。 You'll go first； and you have twenty minutes。〃
Adam knew this； but it was certainly nice to be walked through it。
Mr。 Feriday pointed to a device on the podium which resembled a traffic light。 〃This is the timer；〃 he said gravely。 〃And it is very important。 Twenty minutes； okay。 There are horrific stories of long…winded lawyers who ignored this。 Not a pretty sight。 The green is on when you're talking。 The yellow es on when you want your warning … two minutes； five minutes； thirty seconds； whatever。 When the red es on； you simply stop in mid…sentence and go sit down。 It's that simple。 Any questions？〃
〃Who are the judges？〃
〃McNeely； Robichaux； and Judy。〃 He said this as if Adam personally knew all three。 〃There's a waiting room over there； and there's a library on the third floor。 Just be here about ten minutes before one。 Any more questions？〃
〃No sir。 Thanks。〃
〃I'm in my office if you need me。 Good luck。〃 They shook hands。 Mr。 Feriday left Adam standing at the podium。
At ten minutes before one； Adam walked through the massive oak doors of the West Courtroom for the second time； and found other lawyers preparing for battle。 On the first row behind the bar； Attorney General Steve Roxburgh and his cluster of assistants were huddled together plotting tactics。 They hushed when Adam walked in； and a few nodded and tried to smile。 Adam sat by himself along the aisle and ignored them。
Lucas Mann was seated on their side of the courtroom； though several rows behind
Roxburgh and his boys。 He casually read a newspaper； and waved to Adam when their eyes met。 It was good to see him。 He was starched from head to toe in wrinkle…free khaki； and his tie was wild enough to glow in the dark。 It was obvious Mann was not intimidated by the Fifth Circuit and its trappings； and equally as obvious that he was keeping his distance from Roxburgh。 He was only the attorney for Parchman； only doing his job。 If the Fifth Circuit granted a stay and Sam didn't die； Lucas Mann would be pleased。 Adam nodded and smiled at him。
Roxburgh and his gang rehuddled。 Morris Henry； Dr。 Death； was in the middle of it； explaining things to lesser minds。
Adam breathed deeply and tried to relax。 It was quite difficult。 His stomach was churning and his feet twitched； and he kept telling himself that it would only last for twenty minutes。 The three judges couldn't kill him； they could only embarrass him； and even that could last for only twenty minutes。 He could endure anything for twenty minutes。 He glanced at his notes； and to calm himself he tried to think of Sam … not Sam the racist； the murderer； the lynch mob thug； but Sam the client； the old man wasting away on death row who was entitled to die in peace and dignity。 Sam was about to get twenty minutes of this court's valuable time； so his lawyer had to make the most of it。
A heavy door thudded shut somewhere； and Adam jumped in his seat。 The court crier appeared from behind the bench and announced that this honorable court was now in session。 He was followed by three figures in flowing black robes … McNeely； Robichaux； and Judy； each of whom carried files and seemed to be totally without humor or goodwill。 They sat in their massive leather chairs high up on the shiny； dark； oak…paneled bench； and looked down upon the courtroom。 The case of State of Mississippi v。 Sam Cayhall was called； and the attorneys were summoned from the back of the room。 Adam nervously walked through the swinging gate in the bar； and was followed by Steve Roxburgh。 The Assistant Attorney Generals kept their seats； as did Lucas Mann and a handful of spectators。 Most of these； Adam would later learn； were reporters。
The presiding judge was Judy； the Honorable T。 Eileen Judy； a young woman from Texas。 Robichaux was from Louisiana； and in his late fifties。 McNeely looked to be a hundred and twenty； and was also from Texas。 Judy made a brief statement about the case； then asked Mr。 Adam Hall from Chicago if he was ready to proceed。 He stood nervously； his knees rubber…like； his bowels jumping； his voice high and nervous； and he said that； yes； in fact he was ready to go。 He made it to the podium in the center of the room and looked up； way up； it seemed； at the panel behind the bench。
The green light beside him came on； and he assumed correctly this meant to get things started。 The room was silent。 The judges glared down at him。 He cleared his throat； glanced at the。 portraits of dead honorables hanging on the wall； and plunged into a vicious attack on the gas chamber as a means of execution。
He avoided eye contact with the three of them； and for five minutes or so was allowed to repeat what he'd already submitted in his brief。 It was post…lunch； in the heat of the summer； and it took a few minutes for the judges to shrug off the cobwebs。
〃Mr。 Hall； I think you're just repeating what you've already said in your brief；〃 Judy said testily。 〃We're quite capable of reading； Mr。 Hall。〃
Mr。 Hall took it well； and thought to himself that this was his twenty minutes； and if he wanted to pick his nose and recite the alphabet then he should be allowed to do so。 For twenty minutes。 As green as he was； Adam had heard this ment before from an appellate judge。 It happened while he was in law school and watching a case being argued。 It was standard fare in oral argument。
〃Yes； Your Honor；〃 Adam said； carefully avoiding any reference to gender。 He then moved on to discuss the effects of cyanide gas on laboratory rats； a study not included in his brief。 The experiments had been conducted a year ago by some chemists in Sweden for the purpose of proving that humans do not die instantly when they inhale the poison。 It had been funded by a European organization working to abolish the death penalty in America。
The rats went into seizures and convulsed。 Their lungs and hearts stopped and started erratically for several minutes。 The gas burst blood vessels throughout their bodies； including their brains。 Their muscles quivered uncontrollably。 They salivated and squeak