Death Penalty

The Latest

Credit: Felipe Caparros/Shutterstock

Members of Congress push for end to the federal death penalty

Jan 26, 2021

Dozens of members of Congress are urging the Attorney General-designate to stop use of the federal death penalty.  Read more

U.S. Supreme Court building  Credit: Steven Frame/Shutterstock

Supreme Court rules favorably toward inmate requesting priest at execution

Jan 25, 2021

By CNA Staff

The Supreme Court on Monday ruled favorably toward a Catholic death row inmate requesting the presence of a priest at... Read more

Lisa Montgomery Police Booking Photo via Getty Images.

US executes Lisa Montgomery despite concerns over mental illness 

Jan 13, 2021

Lisa Montgomery, the only woman on federal death row, was executed early Wednesday morning, despite her attorneys’ arguments that her... Read more

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

Federal execution of Lisa Montgomery stayed

Jan 12, 2021

A district court judge has stayed the execution of Lisa Montgomery, the only woman on federal death row, on the... Read more

Incoming USCCB doctrine chair: Death penalty is part of ‘throwaway culture’

Jan 9, 2021

In an online panel Friday, the incoming chair of the U.S. bishops’ doctrine committee discussed the Church’s opposition to the... 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

Sign over death row.

End executions for Advent, Catholic bishops tell Trump

Dec 7, 2020

Leading U.S. bishops are imploring the Trump administration to stop scheduled federal executions during the season of Advent.  Read more

US bishops to Trump: 'Enough. Stop these executions'  

Sep 22, 2020

The Catholic bishops of the United States on Tuesday implored President Donald Trump to halt two federal executions set to... Read more

Archbishop Joseph Naumann. CNA file photo.

His own father murdered, Catholic archbishop speaks against death penalty

Sep 6, 2020

The Archbishop of Kansas City is calling for an end to the death penalty.  Read more

USCCB to Trump administration: 'Stop these executions!'

Aug 27, 2020

The U.S. bishops’ conference on Thursday criticized the federal government for its continued use of the death penalty, which the... Read more

Joe Biden at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

The Biden Platform: What Catholics should know

Aug 19, 2020

Joe Biden was officially nominated as the Democratic Party’s 2020 presidential candidate on Tuesday evening. With the formalities over, what... Read more

The US Penitentiary at Terre Haute, where Lezmond Mitchell is scheduled to be executed Aug. 26.

Catholics pray for Navajo man scheduled for federal execution

Aug 19, 2020

By Jonah McKeown

Catholics are speaking out on behalf of a Native American man on federal death row, who is set to be... Read more

Cardinal Sean O'Malley.

Boston archdiocese pushes back after Trump says Boston bomber ‘deserves death’

Aug 4, 2020

After President Donald Trump said Sunday that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, perpetrator of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, should be put to... Read more

Rodrigo Duterte.

Catholic leaders reject Duterte’s call to revive death penalty in Philippines

Jul 29, 2020

Catholic leaders in the Philippines have spoken out against President Rodrigo Duterte’s call to reinstate the death penalty for illegal... Read more

Death row in an American prison.

Second federal inmate executed after Supreme Court decision

Jul 16, 2020

The second of five federal prisoners slated for execution was killed in the early hours of Thursday, July 16. Wesley... Read more

First federal execution in 17 years lamented as 'unnecessary and avoidable'

Jul 14, 2020

The federal government executed its first federal inmate in 17 years on Tuesday, following numerous delays and requests for clemency... Read more

Court halts scheduled federal executions

Jul 13, 2020

A federal court on Monday ordered a delay of the first scheduled federal execution in 17 years, along with other... Read more

Death row in an American prison.

Catholic bishops join 1,000 faith leaders to oppose federal executions

Jul 7, 2020

Several U.S. bishops, along with clergy and religious brothers and sisters from around the country, have signed a statement opposing federal executions... Read more

US bishops ask Trump administration to reconsider federal executions

Jul 1, 2020

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has asked the Trump administration to halt several scheduled executions after the Supreme... Read more

Federal executions to resume after Supreme Court denies appeal

Jun 29, 2020

By Christine Rousselle

Federal executions are set to resume in the next two weeks after the Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to... Read more