Almost Midnight An American Story of Murder And Redemption

A GOOD BOY TURNED BAD... Kind, well-liked, and a good student, Darrell Mease was the pride of his tiny Ozarks town of Reeds Spring, Missouri. His mother even thought Darrell had a special calling and might be a preacher someday. But when he returned from the Vietnam War, everyone agreed something had changed in him. Darrell was no longer the even-tempered, sweet kid they all remembered, but instead a heavy drinker who soon became immersed in the drug underworld. A BRUTAL TRIPLE MURDER... Drug dealer Lloyd Lawrence was accustomed to getting his own way, especially when someone double-crossed him. So when Darrell Mease fled with a hefty stash of Lawrence's crank, methamphetamine, he took a contract out on the Vietnam Vet. But Lawrence had underestimated Darrell, who got tired of running and decided to fix the problem once and for all. He drove back to Missouri and gunned down Lawrence on his property along with his wife and paraplegic grandson. A LIFE SAVED... It wasn't long before authorities caught up with Darrell and his young girlfriend on the run. Convicted of murder, he was sentenced to die by lethal injection. In prison, Darrell found his faith again and became convinced that "God was his lawyer" and would save him from execution. Many thought he was living in a fantasy world. But the miracle Darrell was waiting for finally happened when in a bizarre twist of fate, he received a death row intervention from none other than the visiting Pope John Paul II... "A fascinating-and often chilling read." --MSNBC "Crisp, informative, and evocative...compelling, vibrant, rich with winning details." --The Washington PostCuneo, Michael W. is the author of 'Almost Midnight An American Story of Murder And Redemption', published 2005 under ISBN 9780312936754 and ISBN 0312936753.