Death Penalty
The Latest
Second federal inmate executed after Supreme Court decision
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'
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
A federal court on Monday ordered a delay of the first scheduled federal execution in 17 years, along with other... Read more
Catholic bishops join 1,000 faith leaders to oppose federal executions
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
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
Federal executions are set to resume in the next two weeks after the Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to... Read more
Supreme Court stays Texas execution over chaplain dispute
The Supreme Court stayed the execution of a man in Texas after the state’s Department of Corrections refused to allow... Read more
St. Augustine bishop calls for end to Florida death penalty
All of Florida’s death row inmates live in the Diocese of St. Augustine. Many are Catholic. At least twice a... Read more
Catholics protest Missouri execution of death row prisoner
Despite objections from Catholic groups, a Missouri death row inmate died by lethal injection May 19, in the first execution... Read more
Catholics react to Alabama execution of Nathaniel Woods
Late Thursday evening, the state of Alabama executed 43 year-old Nathaniel Woods by lethal injection. Read more
Tennessee governor denies clemency to death row 'model inmate'
Nicholas Sutton, 58, was sentenced to death in 1988 after he and another inmate murdered a fellow prisoner. Read more
Opposition to death penalty growing among Republicans, activists say
The number of Republican state lawmakers opposed to capital punishment is growing, a conservative group claims, as anti-death penalty activists look... Read more
U.S. bishops say death row inmate likely innocent, call for new trial
The U.S. bishops’ conference and the bishops of Florida are calling for a Florida death row inmate to be given... Read more
Oklahoma City archbishop supports effort to end state death penalty
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
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
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
A federal judge on Wednesday issued a preliminary injunction halting federal executions in the U.S., saying that a challenge to... Read more
Texas bishops call for halt to Rodney Reed execution
The Texas Conference of Catholic Bishops have called for the Gov. Greg Abbott to delay or cancel the execution of... Read more
Florida bishops ask governor to stay planned execution
The Catholic bishops of Florida have called on Governor Ron DeSantis to halt the scheduled execution of James Dailey, who is... Read more
Bishops urge mercy on World Day Against the Death Penalty
The death penalty is outdated and promotes a culture of violence, three bishops said during a livestream conversation on Oct.... Read more
