maurice bickham served 37 years at angola state penitentiary in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day dave isay chronicled his story in the 1989 radio documentary, "tossing away the keys." bickham won seven stays of execution, but louisiana's governors repeatedly denied him clemency until, under enormous pressure, he was finally released in 1996. days after he was released, he traveled to new york, where he was interviewed on wbai's "wake-up call" by amy goodman, bernard white, and others. "wake-up call" had closely followed bickham's case and helped give it national attention. we began our interview with dave isay by playing for him moreese -- marie spectrum in his own words. heart.s shot through the i said, lord, i know you are good and you made one promise, -- i thy father and mother tried. i said for that reason, allow me to have a few more days. and he did. -- i'd never had a personal relationship with the lord until i was laying with a my heart.t atop the when i got shot in 1952, i asked the lord, i said ever been nothing else like this, give me something to shoot. let the other