Capital Punishment

The Latest

Pope Francis at the Wednesday general audience in St. Peter's Square on June 17, 2015.

Pope's death penalty views may mean new approach to criminal justice

Oct 12, 2017

By JD Flynn

On Wednesday, Pope Francis told a gathering in Rome that the Catechism of the Catholic Church should significantly revise its... Read more

Mo. governor right to halt execution, Catholic conference says

Aug 24, 2017

A governor’s decision to stay the imminent execution of a death row inmate following claims of new evidence has drawn... Read more

Florida Department of Corrections execution chamber.

As Florida execution approaches, bishops urge governor to take pro-life path

Aug 22, 2017

An imminent execution scheduled for this week is the wrong path, said Florida’s Catholic bishops, urging the governor of the... Read more

Is Virginia about to execute a man with a serious mental illness?

Jun 30, 2017

By Matt Hadro

William Morva is scheduled to be executed in Virginia on July 6.  Read more

The Supreme Court of the United States.

US Supreme Court death penalty decision could be victory for due process

Jun 19, 2017

By Matt Hadro

The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that a defendant has a right to a mental health evaluation independent of the... Read more

The lethal injection chamber at San Quentin State Prison.

Calif. Supreme Court weighs ballot measure to hasten death penalty

Jun 8, 2017

By Kevin J. Jones

A ballot measure intended to speed up the application of the death penalty is now being challenged before the California... Read more

New pledge aims to amplify Catholic opposition to death penalty

May 14, 2017

A Catholic pledge against the death penalty cites Pope Francis’ stand as a motive to increase Catholic action against capital... Read more

Judge gavel.

Trump nominee wrote on Catholic judges and the death penalty

May 10, 2017

By Matt Hadro

Among the newly announced federal judges selected by President Donald Trump is a Catholic law professor who once co-wrote a... Read more

An anti-death penalty demonstration in Manila, March 2017.

Filipino bishops praise cross-country march against death penalty

May 10, 2017

The Catholic bishops of the Philippines have praised a cross-country march showing opposition to the restoration of the death penalty.  Read more

Death penalty.

Arkansas executions damage 'our whole society,' Catholic group says

Apr 28, 2017

By Matt Hadro

As Arkansas executed its fourth inmate in eight days, Catholics offered prayers for the prisoners, the victims, and their families,... Read more

Catholics speak out against execution of two more Arkansas inmates

Apr 24, 2017

By Matt Hadro

As Arkansas prepares to conduct the first double execution in the U.S. since 2000, Catholics prayed for all involved in... Read more

Virginia bishops welcome commutation of prisoner's death sentence

Apr 22, 2017

The Catholic bishops of Virginia welcomed a decision by the governor to commute a prisoner’s death sentence on the grounds... Read more

Two Arkansas executions called off, but five remain planned

Apr 18, 2017

Catholics in Arkansas and around the country continue to pray for death row inmates in the state, after courts on... Read more

Catholics heartened by stay on flurry of planned executions in Arkansas

Apr 17, 2017

By Matt Hadro

As judges halted the planned executions of eight inmates in 10 days in Arkansas, Catholics around the country pointed to... Read more

As wave of executions draws near, Catholics in Arkansas pray for an alternative

Apr 9, 2017

By Adelaide Mena

Even though legal options have run out, Catholics in Arkansas are still pushing back against a wave of eight executions... Read more

Supreme Court rejects Texas' standards for executing the intellectually disabled

Mar 28, 2017

By Matt Hadro

In a death penalty case with national implications, the Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned a Texas court ruling that a... Read more

Is the death penalty a form of psychological torture? This author says yes

Mar 14, 2017

By Matt Hadro

Recent “botched executions” resulting in painful deaths for inmates have stirred controversy over the use of the death penalty. But... Read more

Death penalty.

The death penalty doesn't solve problems, archbishop tells UN

Mar 7, 2017

The Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations reiterated the Vatican’s defense of all human life in... Read more

The Supreme Court of the United States.

Race-based death sentence rejected at US Supreme Court

Feb 23, 2017

A death row inmate in Texas deserves a new sentencing hearing because his own lawyers called on an expert who... Read more

Why this slain priest's opposition to the death penalty matters

Feb 2, 2017

A priest who was murdered in 2016 had previously certified that he would not want his murderer executed. Three Catholic... Read more