Oswald Danes

Oswald Danes is a fictional convict and one of the main characters on the British science fiction television series Torchwood. He appeared in the series four storyline, "Miracle Day", where he was played by actor Bill Pullman.

Biography
Oswald Danes was an American school teacher who had raped and murdered a twelve-year-old girl. He was arrested and during his trial when asked to speak in defense of his actions said, "She wasn't fast enough". Danes was given the death penalty and was sentenced to die by lethal injection. On the day of his execution however, an inexplicable event that came to be known as "Miracle Day", prevented him from dying (along with the rest of Earth's human population). As his sentence had been successfully carried out, the state governor had little choice but to release him, despite the fact that he was not deceased.

Oswald Danes made his way to Wales, where he finagled his way into the home of Gwen Cooper and Rhys Williams. Gwen found him in the kitchen holding her infant daughter, Anwen. Gwen took the baby from him, then bashed him across the head with a heavy skillet. Rhys ran into the room and was more than prepared to kill him. Jack Harkness arrived moments later, along with Esther Drummond. Had they not, Rhys likely would have murdered Oswald.