Tallahassee, Fla., Jun 27, 2008 / 03:17 am
The archbishops and bishops of Florida have delivered a letter to Florida Governor Charlie Crist urging him to stop executions in the state, beginning with the scheduled July 1 execution of Mark Dean Schwab.
According to Florida Today, Mark Dean Schwab was convicted in 1992 of kidnapping, raping, and killing 11-year-old Junny Rios-Martinez.
“We can never fully comprehend the pain the victim’s family feels after losing their loved one and we extend our sincere sympathy to the family of Junny Rios-Martinez, the victim in this crime. But killing someone because they killed only perpetuates violence and coarsens the public’s attitude about the sanctity of life, including the lives of those who have committed grave offenses,” the bishops’ letter said.
In their June 25 letter, the bishops said they recognize the right of the State to impose the death penalty. However, they said that Florida should join “the growing number of states who are re-examining the death penalty.” Findings of racial bias and “serious problems” in Florida’s death penalty system, the bishops said, were also a cause for concern.