Death Penalty

The Latest

Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami

Parkland shooter’s life sentence is ‘severe and just,’ Miami archbishop says

Oct 14, 2022

By Jonah McKeown

Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami spoke out this week to support a life sentence for the man who killed 17... Read more

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Denial of clemency to death row inmate disappoints Oklahoma archbishop

Sep 28, 2022

By CNA Staff

One day after a parole board denied clemency to death row inmate Benjamin Cole, the archbishop of Oklahoma City registered... Read more

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

CNA

Condemned man wins case seeking pastor’s touch and prayer during execution

Mar 24, 2022

By Katie Yoder

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of an inmate who requested that his pastor pray aloud and “lay hands” on... Read more

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev

Supreme Court reinstates death penalty for Boston Marathon bomber

Mar 4, 2022

By Christine Rousselle

In a 6-3 decision, with Justices Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan, and Sonia Sotomayor dissenting, the court found that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev... 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

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley preaching during Mass in the cathedral in 2021.

Oklahoma governor's clemency of Julius Jones took 'tremendous courage,' Archbishop Coakley says

Nov 18, 2021

By Christine Rousselle

Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City praised Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) for his “tremendous courage” in granting convicted murderer Julius... 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

Florida Department of Corrections execution chamber 1.

Catholics pray after Alabama executes death row inmate

Oct 22, 2021

By Christine Rousselle

Alabama executed inmate Willie B. Smith III on Thursday evening, Oct. 20, marking the first execution in the state since... Read more

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev

Biden administration pushes death sentence for Boston bomber at Supreme Court  

Oct 13, 2021

By Christine Rousselle

The Supreme Court heard arguments on Wednesday, Oct. 13 concerning whether or not to reinstate a federal death sentence for... Read more

Mitchell Rozanski, then-Bishop of Springfield in Massachusetts and current Archbishop of St. Louis, in St. Peter's Basilica, Nov. 7, 2019.

Missouri bishops condemn execution of Ernest Johnson

Oct 7, 2021

By Christine Rousselle

The four bishops of Missouri released a joint statement on Wednesday evening condemning the state’s execution of Ernest Lee Johnson,... Read more

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Missouri executes inmate after Holy See appealed for clemency

Oct 6, 2021

By Matt Hadro

Missouri on Tuesday evening executed Ernest Johnson, 61, an inmate convicted of murdering three people in the 1990s, after the... 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

U.S. Supreme Court building, east side

Supreme Court halts execution of inmate requesting vocal prayer at his death

Sep 9, 2021

By Christine Rousselle

The Supreme Court late Wednesday evening halted the execution of a Texas death row inmate who had requested his pastor... Read more

Pastor Dana Moore

In last-minute plea to Supreme Court, lawyers beg for prayer in execution chamber

Sep 8, 2021

By Christine Rousselle

Religious freedom advocates are requesting that a Texas death row inmate have access to vocal prayer and the touch of... Read more

Pastor Dana Moore of Second Baptist Church Corpus Christi

Texas death row inmate sues to have pastor’s touch in execution chamber

Aug 13, 2021

By Christine Rousselle

A man scheduled to be executed in early September is suing the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to have his... 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