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Some questions seem particularly prone to set John Thompson
off. Here’s one he gets a lot: Have the prosecutors who sent
him to death row ever apologized? ¶ “Sorry? For what?” says
Thompson. The 49-year-old is lean, almost skinny. He wears
jeans, a T-shirt and running shoes and sports a thin mustache
and soul patch, both stippled with gray. “You tell me that. Tell
me what the hell would they be sorry for. They tried to kill
me. To apologize would mean they’re admitting the system is
broken.” His voice has been gradually increasing in volume.
He’s nearly yelling now. “That everyone around them is broken.
It’s the same motherfucking system that’s protecting them.”