Death Penalty

The Latest

Oklahoma City archbishop supports effort to end state death penalty

Jan 15, 2020

Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City has announced his support for state legislation that would remove the death penalty from... Read more

Drop in support for the death penalty matches decline in its use

Dec 19, 2019

As support for the death penalty decreases in the U.S., so does the number of inmates executed by the states,... Read more

For the first time, most Americans prefer life imprisonment to death penalty

Nov 30, 2019

For the first time in more than three decades, a majority of Americans favor life imprisonment without parole over the... Read more

Federal executions put on hold while court case moves forward

Nov 21, 2019

A federal judge on Wednesday issued a preliminary injunction halting federal executions in the U.S., saying that a challenge to... Read more

Corridor in a prison.

Texas bishops call for halt to Rodney Reed execution

Nov 5, 2019

By Christine Rousselle

The Texas Conference of Catholic Bishops have called for the Gov. Greg Abbott to delay or cancel the execution of... Read more

James Dailey.

Florida bishops ask governor to stay planned execution

Oct 22, 2019

The Catholic bishops of Florida have called on Governor Ron DeSantis to halt the scheduled execution of James Dailey, who is... Read more

Gallows in Tombstone, Arizona.

Bishops urge mercy on World Day Against the Death Penalty

Oct 10, 2019

The death penalty is outdated and promotes a culture of violence, three bishops said during a livestream conversation on Oct.... Read more

High contrast image of an electric chair scale model. Via Shutterstock

Virginia Catholic Conference: 'Public accountability' important in death penalty cases

Sep 24, 2019

By Christine Rousselle

The Virginia Catholic Conference has spoken in support of a lawsuit demanding that the public be able to view the entirety... Read more

Death row inmates appeal to North Carolina Supreme Court, citing racial bias

Aug 26, 2019

The Supreme Court of North Carolina is set to hear the case of six death row inmates who say a... Read more

Gary Ray Bowles.

Florida bishops: Serial killer's execution is 'unnecessary'

Aug 21, 2019

The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops is pleading for Gov. Ron DeSantis to stop the execution of Gary Ray Bowles,... Read more

Bishops lament return of federal executions

Jul 30, 2019

Catholic leaders have condemned the federal government’s announcement last week that it will resume of executions after an almost two... Read more

After nearly 20 years, federal government will resume executions

Jul 25, 2019

By Matt Hadro

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) will resume executions after an almost two-decade lapse, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced... Read more

The lethal injection room at San Quentin State Prison.

Florida Catholic Conference asks governor to halt execution of serial killer

May 21, 2019

The Catholic bishops of Florida are calling on the state’s governor to spare the life of Bobby Joe Long, a... Read more

Louisiana State Capitol building which is located in Baton Rouge.

Bid to end death penalty in Louisiana fails

May 8, 2019

Senate Bill 112 would have added a question to the next state-wide ballot proposing a constitutional amendment to abolish the... Read more

After Supreme Court ruling, Texas bans all chaplains from execution rooms

Apr 4, 2019

The state of Texas has banned all prison chaplains from its execution chamber, following a Supreme Court decision that halted... 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

Saudi Arabia flag.

Bishop objects to death sentence for Filipino woman in Saudi Arabia

Mar 5, 2019

A bishop in the Philippines is speaking out against the death penalty of a Filipino woman who has been condemned... Read more

Supreme Court.

Supreme Court overturns death penalty for man with intellectual disability

Feb 19, 2019

In a ruling released Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court threw out the death penalty sentence of a Texas inmate whom... Read more

Bishops ask Supreme Court to hear case on racism in death sentencing

Feb 19, 2019

Three U.S. bishops have called on the Supreme Court to take up the case of a death row inmate in... Read more

South Korean bishops call for an end to the death penalty

Feb 14, 2019

The South Korean bishops’ conference has called for an end to the death penalty, and asked the nation’s Constitutional Court... Read more