Cruel and Unusual

Thefingerprintssaythemurdereristhemanwho'sjustbeenexecuted...At11.05oneDecembereveninginRichmond,Virginia,convictedmurdererRonnieJoeWaddellispronounceddeadintheelectricchair.AtthemorgueDrKayScarpettawaitsforWaddell'sbody.Preparingtoperformapost-mortembeforethesubjectisdeadisastrangefeeling,butScarpettahasbeenherebefore.AndWaddell'sdeathisnottheonlynewsworthyeventonthisfreezingnight:thegrotesquelywoundedbodyofayoungboyisfoundproppedagainstarubbishskip.ToScarpettathetwocasesseemunrelated,untilsherecallsthatthebodyofWaddell'svictimhadbeenarrangedinastrikinglysimilarposition...