Touched by an Angel

View by Season

View by Episode

Episode 808: “Famous Last Words”

Episode 808: “Famous Last Words”
Original Air Date: November 3, 2001
Written by: Brian Bird
Directed by: Peter H. Hunt
Produced by:

Martha Williamson
Jon Andersen
R.J. Visciglia, Jr.

Guest Cast:

 

Daniel Lee Corbitt Sean Patrick Flanery
Shirlee Gibbons Veronica Cartwright
Delroy Gibbons Mark Rolston
Young Daniel Luke Eberl
Gregory John Prosky
Warden Butler Micheal Flynn
Officer Finney J. Scott Bronson
Mrs. Gibbons Eve Brenner
Guard #1 Don Shanks

 

Monica and Gloria breeze into Carlisle, Arizona in search of a cup of coffee, and the Famous Last Words of a death row inmate.  Posing as an author, Monica steps into the Oasis diner, where she meets Shirlee, a waitress with a nice smile and a strange fascination with the families that come to see their relatives die by lethal injection.  Meanwhile, across the street, convicted killer Daniel Lee Corbitt is trying to stay tough on the eve of his own execution.  He brags about the fame that will come with his death, and about the “book writer” who’s coming to see him.  What Daniel didn’t count on was the arrival of Andrew, his own personal angel of Death, who has come to see him through the final thirty-six hours of his life.

When Monica arrives in the prison with her assistant, Gloria, Daniel is only too eager to ignore Andrew and continue upon his quest for immortality through a tell-all biography.  He happily relates his history and the events that led up to him returning home, after years on the street, to shoot his Mother’s third husband seven times in the chest.   Monica watches the memory as Daniel shoots him dead, and calls out “That cost you seven old man!”  Gloria asks about Daniel’s mother, but he admits that he hasn’t seen in her in years.  Monica offers to search for her, and Daniel gives her what information he can.  He tells Monica that his mother went by her middle name “Shirlee with two e’s,” and that she may also be using her married name “Gibbons.”  Monica and Gloria realize that Shirlee, the waitress from the Oasis is indeed Daniel’s mother.  After a confrontation with Shirlee, Monica is finally able to convince her to go and see Daniel.  When she does, Daniel surprises them all by his treatment of Shirlee.  He rails and screams at her and says that the only love and comfort he ever received was from Alonzo his childhood Teddy bear.  He says that it is Alonzo and not Shirlee that he wants in the witness chair to his execution.  Shirlee is shattered by Daniel’s words, and runs from the confrontation.

Daniel tells Monica how when he finally did run away, it was because he realized that Shirlee had been planning his beatings with her husband, Delroy.  Monica goes to comfort Shirlee while Andrew tries to dissuade Daniel from meeting his death with harsh thoughts and harsh words.  Andrew tells him that he need only ask forgiveness of God, and he will be accepted into heaven.  Back at the diner, Monica discovers that Shirlee didn’t plan Daniel’s beatings, instead she pleaded with Delroy to let her take some of the whacks in his place.  Daniel received seven lashes, but Shirlee took thirteen.  Monica reveals herself as an angel and tells Shirlee that God does not hold her responsible for the sins of her son, and that she may have made mistakes but she tried and that is what matters.  When Monica brings Shirlee to the execution, the finality of the moment and the intervention of angels, allow mother and son to forgive and love each other.

(); ?>