Capital Punishment
The Latest
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
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
Indiana bishops say death penalty does not help convicts or victims
Ahead of a scheduled reinstatement of the death penalty for federal inmates, the bishops of Indiana are calling on U.S.... Read more
Bishops lament return of federal executions
Catholic leaders have condemned the federal government’s announcement last week that it will resume of executions after an almost two... Read more
Church in Philippines rejects president's call to revive death penalty
Catholic leaders in the Philippines are calling on Catholics and lawmakers to resist President Rodrigo Duterte’s call to revive the... Read more
After nearly 20 years, federal government will resume executions
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) will resume executions after an almost two-decade lapse, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced... Read more
Manchester bishop welcomes repeal of death penalty in NH
Bishop Peter Libasci of Manchester welcomed Thursday the New Hampshire legislature's override of a veto by the governor on capital... Read more
Florida Catholic Conference asks governor to halt execution of serial killer
The Catholic bishops of Florida are calling on the state’s governor to spare the life of Bobby Joe Long, a... Read more
Tenn. bishops urge governor to stop executions
The bishops of Tennessee have requested that the new governor halt four executions planned for this year, reiterating the Church’s... Read more
After Supreme Court ruling, Texas bans all chaplains from execution rooms
The state of Texas has banned all prison chaplains from its execution chamber, following a Supreme Court decision that halted... Read more
Brunei implements law punishing adultery, sodomy with death penalty
Brunei implemented Wednesday a sharia penal code that punishes such crimes as adultery, sodomy, rape, and blasphemy of Muhammad with... Read more
Colorado's death penalty repeal failure means 'unneeded violence', critic says
A death penalty repeal effort has failed in the Colorado legislature after failing to win enough votes in the Democratic-controlled... Read more
Texas bishops praise delayed execution of prisoner denied Buddhist chaplain
The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops praised the Supreme Court’s decision to delay the execution of Patrick Murphy, a Buddhist... Read more
Colorado Catholic Conference supports bill to repeal death penalty
As a measure to repeal Colorado’s death penalty passed a Senate committee this week, the Colorado Catholic Conference has expressed... Read more
Pope encourages group working to end use of death penalty
In a video message sent Wednesday to an international anti-death penalty group Pope Francis encouraged them in their work and... Read more
Muslim denied presence of imam at his execution in Alabama
A Muslim man convicted of murder has been executed in Alabama without his imam present, despite the man’s requests to... Read more
Washington state bishops support repeal of death penalty
The Catholic bishops of Washington state are expressing support for a senate bill that would repeal the death penalty. Read more
Pope Francis: Death penalty a ‘legalistic’ value, not a Christian one
The death penalty is always a rejection of the Gospel and of human dignity, and therefore must be rejected by... Read more
Wash. Supreme Court strikes down death penalty as arbitrary, racially biased
The ruling was issued Oct. 11 and makes the state one of twenty to halt the use of death penalty.... Read more
Catholic judge defends death penalty sentence on theological grounds
A Catholic judge in Ohio who recently sentenced a man to death defended his decision on both legal and theological... Read more
