THE TWILIGHT ZONE ("The Executions of Grady Finch") FULL EPISODE
Grady Finch has been convicted of murdering a convenience-store owner, though has gotten many to believe in his innocence (minus the alleged victim's son) since he wasn't at the scene of the crime and the one who spread the story was a drug-addict. Sentenced to die by lethal injection, he is temporarily saved when the system breaks down, and later says he heard a voice as it happened when he thought he was going to die repeating "Not yet". Though other cases make he and his lawyer Liz think he'll have another year, another execution is scheduled the following night. It fails a second time, and he again hears the voice. When a different method is used, the machines fail and he not only hears the chant but, while his face is masked, sees an image of one whom he believes is a guardian angel. Against Liz's advice, he adds to his fame by talking about his guardian angel and belief that he is being kept alive to prove higher judgment exists. He even escapes a murder attempt. But what is the reason Grady Finch is being kept alive, and what is his destiny?
Grady Finch is to be executed for the cold-blooded murder of convenience-store owner Mr. Park during a botched holdup. He continues to insist that he is innocent of the murder, saying he was never at the store that night, and that a witness who testified to seeing him there, is a drug-addict and his testimony is not reliable.
At the death chamber, the lethal-injection machinery inexplicably breaks down and fails. Grady hears a woman's voice in his head, saying, 'Not yet.'
Grady's defense lawyer, Liz, is sure that the court's being bogged down with cases will delay things long enough for her to further the appeal process. However, the court schedules another execution attempt that night. But once again, the equipment inexplicably breaks down and fails at the last minute, and Grady again hear's a woman's voice saying, 'Not yet.' He also sees a very brief vision of what he later says is a guardian angel watching over him. He draws a picture of this vision to show to the court.
Most people would be considered mad at this point for such claims, but the public begins to believe Grady, taking his story at face value. Soon, Mr. Park's son Nathan is virtually the only one still adamantly protesting Grady's guilt. Another execution is scheduled, this time by electrocution. But yet a third time, at the last minute, there is a power failure and the electric chair fails to work. Grady is seriously injured by the electricity but the chair cannot generate enough current to kill him. Once again, he hears the voice of his 'guardian angel' saying to him, 'Not yet.'
Things go from bad to worse quickly for Nathan Park as public support for Grady continues to grow, and then the prosecution's star witness, a jailhouse informant, announces a wish to recant his testimony against Grady in an act of penitence. Liz puts in a motion to the court and wins Grady a new trial. Sick with grief and anger, Nathan pulls a gun and tries to shoot Grady in the court. But Grady again hears the familiar voice saying to him, 'Not yet,' and Nathan's pistol jams. He is seized by police and now facing charges of his own.
The jury in Grady's new trial wastes little time in completely exonerating him, finding him not guilty of any of the charges levied against him. Grady and Liz are standing just inside the courthouse's vestibule doors, talking about the outcome and Grady's future, as an adoring public stands outside, cheering for Grady and eagerly awaiting his appearance.
During the conversation, Grady carelessly (or indifferently...?) lets slip that he was in fact at the convenience store on the night of the robbery and murder-- in direct contradiction to his longtime claim. Confronted by a baffled Liz, Grady's demeanor changes from humble to smug in the span of a heartbeat. Liz realizes to her horror that Grady has been lying all along, and that he was in fact guilty of murdering Mr. Park. Grady admits to this, for no better reason than Mr. Park not wanting to give Grady all the money in his register.
Liz listens with growing revulsion as Grady speaks about having literally gotten away with murder, that he is now immune to retrial due to double jeopardy, and that he will soon have all the money he wanted and more, seeing book deals and talk show appearances galore in his future. She watches numbly as Grady steps outside the courthouse to greet his adoring public.
As Grady pauses on the steps, he stands directly under where a massive sculpture is being held up by cable and pulley, to be gradually lowered to exact placement at the top of the steps of the courthouse. Grady sees a glimpse of his 'guardian angel,' and the feminine voice once again speaks to him. This time, however, the voice doesn't tell him 'Not yet'--- but 'Now.'
Immediately the cable holding the massive sculpture aloft, breaks. Grady has just enough time to glance up before the sculpture falls right on top of him, crushing him to death in front of the now-horrified crowd. Liz steps outside and marvels that the sculpture resembles the drawing Grady made of the 'guardian angel' he saw in his visions. The inscription at the base of the sculpture is still intact, and the camera pans in to show that the sculpture is of the ancient Greek goddess Nemesis... goddess of vengeance.
