Denver Newsroom, Aug 24, 2022 / 17:00 pm
Shortly after Governor Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma denied clemency to death row inmate James Coddington on Wednesday, the Archbishop of Oklahoma City encouraged the state not to resort to the death penalty.
“No matter how serious the crime committed, we do not forfeit the dignity bestowed upon us by God. Governor Stitt’s denial of clemency to James Coddington is disappointing,” Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City wrote Aug. 24.
“There are other ways to administer just punishment for crimes without resorting to lethal measures that do not align with our state’s pro-life values and only serve to perpetuate the cycle of violence,” he said.
He urged prayer for an end to the death penalty and “that our leaders may have the wisdom and compassion to recognize the humanity in every person, regardless of their state in life.”