Charles M Chuck Sevilla

Attorney Charles M. Sevilla started smoking again last month, just the way he did in 1982, the last time his client, Robert Alton Harris, faced an execution date. Sevilla hadn't puffed on even one cigarette since Harris was spared--with four days to go--eight years ago. But by the week before April 3, the day the state of California had announced that it would execute Harris for two murders, Sevilla's office turned into what he called a "smoke chamber."

When Robert Alton Harris was left to sit in the gas chamber for 12 agonizing minutes, then heard the sealed door being opened, he had no idea a judge had prolonged his life. He thought he would be moved to another seat and locked in again to die. After he was taken back to his cell, Harris took a call from his longtime attorney, Charles M. Sevilla. "What a bummer," Harris said, talking very fast in a "hyper-excited" voice.

When Robert Alton Harris was left to sit in the gas chamber for 12 agonizing minutes, then heard the sealed door being opened, he had no idea a judge had prolonged his life. He thought he would be moved to another seat and locked in again to die. After he was taken back to his cell, Harris took a call from his longtime attorney, Charles M. Sevilla. "What a bummer," Harris said, talking very fast in a "hyper-excited" voice.

Last month, San Diego attorney Charles M. Sevilla started smoking again, just the way he did in 1982, the previous time a client of his, Robert Alton Harris, faced an execution date. Sevilla hadn't puffed on even one cigarette since Harris was spared--with four days to go--eight years ago. But by the week before April 3, the day the state of California had announced it wanted to execute Harris, Sevilla's office had turned into what he called a "smoke chamber."

Last month, San Diego attorney Charles M. Sevilla started smoking again, just the way he did in 1982, the previous time a client of his, Robert Alton Harris, faced an execution date. Sevilla hadn't puffed on even one cigarette since Harris was spared--with four days to go--eight years ago. But by the week before April 3, the day the state of California had announced it wanted to execute Harris, Sevilla's office had turned into what he called a "smoke chamber."

Attorney Charles M. Sevilla started smoking again last month, just the way he did in 1982, the last time his client, Robert Alton Harris, faced an execution date. Sevilla hadn't puffed on even one cigarette since Harris was spared--with four days to go--eight years ago. But by the week before April 3, the day the state of California had announced that it would execute Harris for two murders, Sevilla's office turned into what he called a "smoke chamber."