Columbus, Ohio, Jul 24, 2018 / 17:46 pm
The Ohio Catholic Conference on Friday welcomed the state governor's decision to grant reprieve and commutation to two men who were to have been executed.
"The Catholic Conference of Ohio commends Governor Kasich for his leadership, courage, and pursuit of justice in commuting the death sentence of Raymond Tibbetts, as well as granting a reprieve for Cleveland Jackson," the organization stated July 20.
"Each case presented strong evidence that corrective actions were needed by the Governor. Thank you, Governor Kasich."
"The Catholic Church believes that the death penalty is an unnecessary and systemically flawed form of punishment," wrote the Ohio Catholic Conference. "We seek mercy for those on death row because we believe that spiritual conversion is possible and that all life – even that of the worst offender – has value and dignity."