Capital Punishment

The Latest

The palace of the sultan of Brunei in Bandar Seri Begawan.

Brunei implements law punishing adultery, sodomy with death penalty

Apr 3, 2019

Brunei implemented Wednesday a sharia penal code that punishes such crimes as adultery, sodomy, rape, and blasphemy of Muhammad with... Read more

The Colorado State Capitol in Denver.

Colorado's death penalty repeal failure means 'unneeded violence', critic says

Apr 2, 2019

By Kevin J. Jones

A death penalty repeal effort has failed in the Colorado legislature after failing to win enough votes in the Democratic-controlled... Read more

Texas bishops praise delayed execution of prisoner denied Buddhist chaplain

Mar 29, 2019

By Christine Rousselle

The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops praised the Supreme Court’s decision to delay the execution of Patrick Murphy, a Buddhist... Read more

Colorado Catholic Conference supports bill to repeal death penalty

Mar 7, 2019

By Perry West

As a measure to repeal Colorado’s death penalty passed a Senate committee this week, the Colorado Catholic Conference has expressed... Read more

Pope Francis greets pilgrims in Ireland for the 2018 World Meeting of Families.

Pope encourages group working to end use of death penalty

Feb 27, 2019

In a video message sent Wednesday to an international anti-death penalty group Pope Francis encouraged them in their work and... Read more

A lethal injection chamber in California.

Muslim denied presence of imam at his execution in Alabama

Feb 8, 2019

A Muslim man convicted of murder has been executed in Alabama without his imam present, despite the man’s requests to... Read more

Washington state bishops support repeal of death penalty

Feb 8, 2019

The Catholic bishops of Washington state are expressing support for a senate bill that would repeal the death penalty.  Read more

Pope Francis celebrates Mass for the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple in St. Peter's Basilica, Feb. 2, 2015.

Pope Francis: Death penalty a ‘legalistic’ value, not a Christian one

Dec 17, 2018

The death penalty is always a rejection of the Gospel and of human dignity, and therefore must be rejected by... Read more

Syringes, stethoscope and judge gavel on wooden background.

Wash. Supreme Court strikes down death penalty as arbitrary, racially biased

Oct 12, 2018

By Kevin J. Jones

The ruling was issued Oct. 11 and makes the state one of twenty to halt the use of death penalty.... Read more

Catholic judge defends death penalty sentence on theological grounds

Aug 29, 2018

A Catholic judge in Ohio who recently sentenced a man to death defended his decision on both legal and theological... Read more

With inmate's fate unclear, Florida bishops pray to end death penalty

Aug 13, 2018

The Catholic bishops of Florida have asked for continued prayers for an end to the death penalty following the stay... Read more

Pope Francis at the General Audience in St. Peter's Square, May 2, 2018.

US bishops welcome change to Catechism on death penalty

Aug 3, 2018

Bishops across the US have welcomed the modification made to the Catechism of the Catholic Church saying the Church teaches... Read more

Ohio bishops commend governor's reprieve, commutation of executions

Jul 24, 2018

The Ohio Catholic Conference on Friday welcomed the state governor's decision to grant reprieve and commutation to two men who... Read more

Scheduled execution in Nebraska 'would undermine respect for human life'

Jul 6, 2018

Nebraska's bishops on Friday issued a statement opposing the execution of Carey Dean Moore, whose execution date has been set... Read more

Bishops object as Illinois governor pushes to reinstate death penalty

May 15, 2018

The Catholic Conference of Illinois decried the governor’s call to re-establish the death penalty, which has not been used in... Read more

Study finds decline in global death penalty numbers

Apr 12, 2018

After a record-high year of death sentences implemented around the world in 2016, a new report released by Amnesty International... Read more

Death penalty for drug dealers? Catholic group responds to federal memo

Mar 22, 2018

The Trump administration’s call for increased use of the death penalty in drug-related crimes will not address the root causes... Read more

Botched execution shows death penalty must end, Catholic group says

Mar 13, 2018

By Christine Rousselle

As a death row inmate in Alabama sues the state over a botched execution last month, a Catholic advocacy group... Read more

Supreme Court delays execution of inmate over dementia claims

Feb 13, 2018

The U.S. Supreme Court has delayed the execution of an Alabama man who killed a police officer in 1985, on... Read more

The lethal injection chamber at San Quentin State Prison.

Death penalty repeal a growing trend among Republican lawmakers

Oct 28, 2017

By Kevin J. Jones

Republican lawmakers play an increasing role in opposition to the death penalty. Both political principles and, for some, their Catholic... Read more