Death and Texas (2004)

Dateline # Austin, TX. Barefoot Bobby Briggs, the legendary running back for the Austin Steers was today sentenced to die for his role in the armed robbery/murder at a downtown Stop 'n Go convenience store... It's five years later, and Bobby's appeals have all but run out, and the Austin Steers are - once again - on the march to the Superbowl, with a lock on the playoffs, when their wide receiver has a season ending injury. With their playoff hopes in shambles, the Governor of Texas controversially offers Bobby a furlough # from death row # to help rescue the Steers' post-season hopes, and even play in the Superbowl. Death & Texas chronicles the bizarre story of Bobby Briggs, whose pro-career was cut short when he was sentenced to die. Guided by implacable anti-death-penalty advocate Marshall Ledger, Bobby plays the only card he has left # his undoubted prowess on the football field. The final days of his appeals to the courts and the Governor play out side-by-side with the Steers' Superbowl hopes. With his execution scheduled for the day after the big game, it all comes down to a Hail Mary pass... Satirical, funny and unashamedly political, Death & Texas parodies the legal system that attempts to sanitize and legitimize the killing of its own citizens. Shot "faux verité" style, the film examines the trial and its fairness, and interviews all the key people in Bobby's life: his lawyers, family, the politicians, judges and prosecutors; the victim's family and many more who determine Bobby's fate. Beyond interviews, Death & Texas looks at life in the Texas correctional system, peaks behind the scenes of pro-football and of course, the man himself: Barefoot Bobby Briggs.