Helen Prejean inmates on Death Row and witnessed several more executions. She served as National Chairperson of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty from 1993 to 1995. She published "Dead Man Walking" (1993), an account of her relationship with Sonnier and other inmates on death row, and the factors related to her growing opposition to the death penalty. The book was adapted for a 1995 feature film of the same name; she was portrayed by Susan Sarandon. Her book was also adapted as an opera, first produced in 2000; and as a play. For her book, she drew from her
Carrie Prejean Carrie Prejean Caroline Michelle "Carrie" Prejean Boller (; born May 13, 1987) is an American model, former Miss California USA 2009, and Miss USA 2009 first runner-up. Later, Prejean was stripped of her Miss California USA crown for alleged breaches of contract. Contentious litigation between Prejean and the Miss California organization was settled in November 2009. Later that month, Prejean released a book relating the story from her point of view. Prejean was born in San Diego, California, to Francine (Coppola) and Wilbert Prejean. Her mother is an Italian American, and her father is of French descent. She was raised