This Blood's for You

Charlie James has 10 days to live before he is executed for killing a cop. His only chance of an afterlife is to let his internal organs live on after he's gone to the hereafter-or whatever. But the idea of donating his organs doesn't originate with Charlie. The idea comes from Patrick Olsen, Warden at the state prison where Charlie is spending his final days, and whose son needs a kidney. Olsen sends Father John, the facility priest, to plead his case in hopes of convincing Charlie to give his all-and then some to save his son Patrick. Humor is how Charlie deals with life and death matters and his loss might well be somebody else's gain. But the ethical implications associated with capital punishment and organ donation present a major problem for the state and its criminal justice system.