Capital Punishment

The Latest

A lethal injection chamber.

Oklahoma City archbishop disappointed by denial of clemency to death row inmate

Aug 24, 2022

By Carl Bunderson

Shortly after Governor Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma denied clemency to death row inmate James Coddington on Wednesday, the Archbishop of... Read more

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OKC archbishop calls for end to death penalty after court upholds lethal injections

Jun 6, 2022

By Joe Bukuras

The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls the death penalty "inadmissible." Read more

The lethal injection chamber at San Quentin State Prison.

Bishops in Texas welcome stay of execution for woman on death row

Apr 26, 2022

By CNA Staff

The Texas bishops' conference expressed gratitude Monday that a state court halted the execution of Melissa Lucio over claims she... Read more

Firing squad

Charleston diocese: Making death-row inmate choose means of execution is 'barbarism'

Apr 11, 2022

By CNA Staff

After the South Carolina Supreme Court set a date for the execution of Richard Moore, the Diocese of Charleston stated... Read more

Death row in an American prison.

Bishops in Texas urge clemency for woman on death row

Feb 28, 2022

By Christine Rousselle

The state of Texas should grant clemency to a woman set to be executed in April, a Catholic organization and... Read more

The lethal injection room at California's San Quentin State Prison.

US Supreme Court hears case of inmate requesting pastor at execution

Nov 9, 2021

By Christine Rousselle

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Tuesday in the case of a man seeking to pray with his pastor... Read more

Dana Moore, pastor of Second Baptist Church Corpus Christi

US Supreme Court to hear case of death row inmate requesting pastor's touch at execution

Nov 8, 2021

By Christine Rousselle

The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Ramirez v. Collier on Tuesday, Nov. 9, almost two months after the... Read more

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Catholic group decries Oklahoma execution, during which inmate vomited

Oct 29, 2021

By Christine Rousselle

A Catholic organization is calling on Oklahoma to stop executing prisoners following yet another botched execution Thursday afternoon.   Read more

Archbishop Paul Coakley. Courtesy photo.

Oklahoma City archbishop issues call to prayer for end to abortion, death penalty

Oct 23, 2021

By Christine Rousselle

Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City has issued a call to prayer for the abolition of the death penalty and... Read more

Archbishop Christophe Pierre addresses the 2020 USCCB Fall General Assembly.

Holy See asks Missouri governor to halt scheduled execution

Oct 2, 2021

By Joe Bukuras

The Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Christopher Pierre, asked the governor of Missouri on Monday to spare the... Read more

The lethal injection room at California's San Quentin State Prison.

Survey: A majority of US Catholics support the death penalty

Jul 21, 2021

By Matt Hadro

One recent survey shows a majority of U.S. Catholics supporting use of the death penalty for murder convicts. The support... Read more

The US Penitentiary at Terre Haute.

US Justice Department halts federal executions

Jul 2, 2021

By Kate Scanlon

US Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a moratorium on federal executions while the Department of Justice conducts a review of... Read more

The lethal injection chamber at San Quentin State Prison.

Majority of US adults support death penalty

Jun 4, 2021

By CNA Staff

A majority of U.S. adults still support the administration of capital punishment, according to a June 2 Pew Research Center... Read more

Virginia state capitol.

Virginia poised to abolish death penalty

Feb 4, 2021

The abolition of the death penalty has advanced in Virginia, with the State Senate’s passage of a bill backed by... Read more

US Capitol dome.

Amid scheduled executions, bills introduced to end federal use of death penalty

Jan 12, 2021

By Matt Hadro

As three federal executions were scheduled for this week, multiple bills have been introduced in Congress to end use of... Read more

Bishops call on Trump administration to stop planned federal executions

Jan 11, 2021

By Matt Hadro

Prominent U.S. bishops are imploring a halt to three federal executions scheduled for this week.  Read more

Lawyer urges clemency for federal death row inmate

Jan 8, 2021

By Christine Rousselle

A woman convicted of murdering a woman and stealing her unborn child should be granted clemency ahead of her scheduled... Read more

Ohio governor: Lethal injection impermissible for executions 

Dec 10, 2020

The use of lethal injections will no longer be allowed for executions in the state of Ohio, and an alternative... Read more

Corridor in an abandoned Penitentiary.

Tennessee governor delays execution of man with 'intellectual disability'

Nov 11, 2020

The governor of Tennessee has delayed the execution of an intellectually disabled man due to the coronavirus pandemic. The execution... Read more

Death Row Sign At A Maximum Security Prison. Image via Shutterstock

Does 'Fratelli tutti' change Church teaching on the death penalty?

Oct 6, 2020

By Matt Hadro

In his new encyclical, Pope Francis reiterated that the death penalty is “inadmissible,” but did he change centuries of Church teaching... Read more