The Supreme Court on March 24 ruled in favor of a Texas prisoner who wanted his pastor to pray aloud over him and place his hands on him in the execution chamber. Although the 8-1 decision specifically focused on the case of
Catholic opponents of the death penalty, including Oklahoma City's archbishop, praised the Nov. 18 announcement that the Oklahoma governor granted death-row inmate Julius Jones clemency -- just hours before he was scheduled to be executed.
"It took tremendous courage in the face of
The Supreme Court's consideration of spiritual advisers praying aloud with death-row inmates or placing hands on them in prayer during executions faced an uphill battle Nov. 9 as some of the justices questioned if this would open up other requests or could
A case before the Supreme Court Nov. 9 argues that death-row chaplains should have the final word. Specifically, they should be able to pray aloud with inmates and place their hands on them in prayer during executions, which is what John Ramirez,
In his latest column, Monsignor. Charles Pope explains why Pope Francis updated the text of the Catechism of the Catholic Church to say that the death penalty is “inadmissible” in our times. He writes: “the inadmissibility of the death penalty is contingent
Activists who oppose the death penalty said the Justice Department's temporary stop of federal executions is a step in the right direction, but not enough.
The order, given by Attorney General Merrick Garland in a memo to senior officials and announced publicly the
The passage of a bill by South Carolina lawmakers in early May to restart executions after 10 years and to add death by firing squad or electric chair as options if lethal injection drugs are not available is a "setback for South
“We embrace this hope-filled new beginning.” These were the words Virginia Bishops Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington and Bishop Barry C. Knestout of Richmond wrote in a joint statement on March 24, the day that Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam abolished the state’s
While standing outside the prison that housed Virginia's execution chamber, Gov. Ralph Northam signed legislation abolishing the death penalty in the state March 24.
Legislators and anti-death penalty advocates joined the signing ceremony outside Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt, where 101 people have
The Virginia General Assembly passed a final version of a bill that will abolish the death penalty in the state Feb. 22.
The Senate voted 22-16 to pass the death penalty abolition bill and the House of Delegates voted 57-43 to approve the