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Connecticut State Senators Repeal Death Penalty Law April 9th, 2012

On April 5, the Connecticut State Senate voted 20 -16 in favor of repeal of the state’s death penalty law. The bill would replace the death penalty with life in prison without the possibility of parole as the state’s harshest punishment for future crimes. The legislation would not affect sentences of the 11 inmates currently on Connecticut’s death row.

The bill now goes to the Connecticut House of Representatives, where it is considered to have a high level of support, and then to Governor who has said he would sign it into law.

Other states have passed similar measures; among them are Illinois, New Mexico and New Jersey. In California, faith leaders are leading a campaign to gather enough signatures for an initiative to throw out the death penalty by voters on the November ballot.

The Catholic Conference of Connecticut and Religious communities are pleased with the passage of the repeal of the death penalty. The Conference is engaging in a campaign through its website and in advocacy messages in parish bulletins asking parishioners to contact their elected representatives, requesting that they support the bill.

 

A Good Friday Reflection: End the Use of the Death Penalty March 14th, 2012

A brochure from Catholic Mobilizing Network to End the Use of the Death Penalty is a resource we recommend to enrich Catholics during this liturgical season of Lent. The brochure offers educational, advocacy and theological reflections about the death penalty for Good Friday, which this year falls on April 6.

Download the brochure (PDF)

 

Death Penalty: Oregon Declares A Moratorium On all Executions December 19th, 2011

On November 22, Governor John Kitzhaber of Oregon announced that no more executions will take place during his term. Catholics and several other opponents of the death penalty praised Governor Kitzhaber for placing a moratorium on the use of the death penalty for the rest of his term.

Portland Catholic Archbishop John Vlazny applauded the decision. Faith groups in Oregon mobilized actions, petitions and letters in support of the moratorium. Oregon now joins 16 other states and the District of Columbia that do not have the death penalty. Of those 16, Illinois had abolished the death penalty most recently, in an action early in 2011.

Learn more…

 

People of Faith Against the Death Penalty August 30th, 2011

Religious leaders are being invited to join the calling for clemency for Georgia’s Troy Davis. People of Faith Against the Death Penalty and Amnesty International are working with religious leaders to encourage others from all faith traditions to endorse a public letter urging the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles to commute the death sentence of Troy Davis.

In March, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Troy Davis’s appeals and set the stage for him to possibly face a fourth execution date at any time. Only the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles can stop his execution now. More than 1,500 leaders from around the country have already endorsed the letter. These include leaders of many different faith traditions, including Catholic, Baptist and Methodist clergy and religious communities.

Religious leaders can read and sign the clemency letter for Georgia’s Davis Troy at www.troyletter.org

 

Website Updates June 24th, 2011

Please check out the revised JPIC web pages on Immigration and Death Penalty. The pages offer an updated overview of our program work in these areas as well as new resource links.

The pages can be found in the Issues section of the website, under Human Dignity. Both pages can be accessed via hyperlinks on the Human Dignity page, or on the left navigation bar under Human Dignity. Death Penalty is in the section on Consistent Life. Or, just click on the hyperlinks on this page.

 

Abolition of the Death Penalty becomes law in Illinois March 11th, 2011

On March 9, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed legislation repealing the death penalty that state. The Oblate JPIC office commends the faith leaders and community groups – including many in the Oblate network – who worked hard to build a coalition to end the death penalty in Illinois. Since November of last year, the Oblate JPIC office has been providing advocacy resources and actions alerts to Oblate communities in Illinois to support their efforts to abolish the death penalty.

Learn more: Read the statement from the Catholic Bishops of Illinois.

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