Death Penalty
The Latest
California bishop praises district attorney for seeking to change death sentences
“Catholic social teaching urges us to recognize the dignity of every human being, especially the most vulnerable,” Bishop Oscar Cantú... Read more
Missouri governor denies clemency to death row inmate despite Catholic protests
The Catholic bishops of Missouri had strongly urged the faithful to contact Gov. Mike Parson and ask him to stay... Read more
Missouri bishops plead for death row inmate on eve of execution
The Catholic bishops of Missouri are urging the faithful to contact Gov. Mike Parson to stay the execution of convicted... Read more
Texas death row inmate to be executed in days as Catholics call for clemency
Texas has scheduled the execution of Ivan Cantu for Wednesday, Feb. 28. Cantu was convicted for a double murder that... Read more
Catholic anti-death penalty group seeks to ‘transform the criminal system’ in defense of life
Catholic Mobilizing Network seeks to “value life over death, to end the use of the death penalty,” and “to transform... Read more
Oklahoma archbishop: Supreme Court review of execution could further cause of abolition
The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday that it will review the case of an Oklahoma man on death row who... Read more
Catholic group expresses concern over Alabama’s untested new execution method
The Community of Sant’Egidio shared a petition Jan. 23 urging Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey to halt the execution of Kenneth... Read more
Biden administration seeks the death penalty for Buffalo supermarket shooter
Payton Gendron’s May 2022 shooting rampage resulted in 10 deaths. Authorities called it a racially motivated hate crime. Read more
Data shows most states moving away from use of the death penalty
Executions peaked in 1999 and have been on a mostly unbroken downward trajectory since then with more states ending the... Read more
Austin bishop celebrates special Mass in Texas prison for female death row inmates
The Mass, which took place at the Mountain View Unit prison in Gatesville, Texas, was part of a three-day conference... Read more
Oklahoma City archbishop urges governor to grant clemency to convicted murderer
A statewide board in Oklahoma this week narrowly recommended clemency for a man convicted of a double murder more than... Read more
Catholic anti-death penalty group hosts discussion featuring death row exonerees
Catholic Mobilizing Network hosted the Oct. 23 event at Xavier University in Cincinnati in partnership with other anti-death penalty organizations. Read more
Texas executes prisoner despite pleas for clemency from Catholic anti-death-penalty group
Jedidiah Murphy was put to death by lethal injection at the execution chamber in Huntsville on Tuesday night. Read more
Tree of Life synagogue shooter handed federal death penalty
Robert G. Bowers is the first person to be condemned to death under the Biden administration, which placed the federal... Read more
Florida bishops request clemency for death row inmate
James Phillip Barnes is scheduled to die Thursday, but bishops in Florida have appealed to Gov. Ron DeSantis for a... Read more
UPDATE: Missouri death row inmate to be executed Tuesday
Catholics in St. Louis and across Missouri, as well as Pope Francis himself, had advocated for a stay of Johnny... Read more
Missouri death row inmate granted stay of execution following Catholic advocacy
Catholics across Missouri had advocated for a stay of Johnny Johnson’s execution, citing the Church’s teaching on the admissibility of... Read more
Capitol Hill Democrats introduce bill to end federal death penalty
Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin introduced a bill to abolish the federal death penalty, calling the... Read more
Catholic priest shares inside look of accompanying a man on death row
Father Dustin Feddon from the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee tells CNA what it was like to walk with Darryl Barwick to... Read more
Florida bishops plead with DeSantis to spare life of death row inmate
The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops appealed to the governor to grant a stay and commute convicted murderer Duane Owen’s... Read more
