Richmond, Va., Apr 22, 2017 / 14:13 pm
The Catholic bishops of Virginia welcomed a decision by the governor to commute a prisoner's death sentence on the grounds that false information was presented during his sentencing.
"We are all children of the same merciful, loving God, and he alone has dominion over all life," the bishops said April 20.
Bishop Francis DiLorenzo of Richmond and Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington said they welcomed the decision to commute the death sentence "because we have a profound respect for the sanctity of every human life, from its very beginning until natural death."
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe on Thursday commuted the death sentence of Ivan Teleguz, 38, to life without parole. He was scheduled to be executed April 25.