Washington D.C., Aug 13, 2021 / 14:21 pm
A man scheduled to be executed in early September is suing the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to have his pastor lay hands on him as he is dying.
John Henry Ramirez, 37, is set to be executed on Sept. 8, at the Texas State Penitentiary in Huntsville. He seeks to have Pastor Dana Moore of Second Baptist Church in Corpus Christi present with him as he receives lethal injection, and laying hands on him as he is dying.
The “laying on of hands” is a Christian practice of blessing someone. Moore has been Ramirez’s spiritual advisor for the last five years.
While Texas did not permit any spiritual advisors in the execution chamber for a two-year period from April 2019 until April 2021, it does now allow for personal religious ministers to accompany the inmate inside the chamber.