Virginia bishops urge Catholics to shift focus of death penalty debate

[LongingSoul]

catholicphilly.com/2015/05/news/national-news/virginia-bishops-urge-catholics-to-shift-focus-of-death-penalty-debate/

**Citing the words of Pope Francis in opposing capital punishment, the bishops said in a statement released May 6 that by ending the death penalty in the state, “we would take one important step … to abandon the culture of death and embrace the culture of life.”

They pointed to the tenets of Catholic teaching, which hold that all human life is sacred, fueling the church’s drive to advocate for the needs of poor and vulnerable people, the elderly, the unborn and immigrants and refugees.

“But our faith challenges us to declare sacred even the least lovable among us, those convicted of committing brutal crimes which have brought them the ultimate penalty, the penalty of death,” the bishops said.

The statement also cited the U.S. bishops’ 2005 statement “A Culture of Life and the Penalty of Death, which summarized church teaching on the death penalty in saying that “no matter how heinous the crime, if society can protect itself from without ending a human life, it should do so.”

The Virginia bishops’ statement noted that since 1973, 152 death row inmates nationwide, including one in Virginia, have been exonerated. “We must also be aware of the racial inequity inherent in the system, and that the death penalty has been administered to individuals with severe intellectual disabilities,” they wrote.

“These circumstances further illustrate that, in Virginia and elsewhere, we are having the wrong debate,” the two bishops said. “We should no longer debate which inmates we execute and how we execute them. Instead, we should debate this: If all human lives are sacred and if a civilized society such as ours can seek redress and protect itself by means other than taking a human life, why are we continuing to execute people?”**

 

[beleg]

I think that completely banning the death penalty is overly optimistic; it still may be needed some day. However, I would love to see a lot more restrictions against it so is only used when it’s actually morally permissible.

I don’t think it will happen, though. There’s a very profitable industry that revolves around the death penalty - these trials cost millions, since there’s so much at stake - and lots of people make a lot of money off of them. They will fight tooth and nail to keep the death penalty strong as ever.

 

[tominrichmond]

As with most pronouncements on this issue by American bishops, it is full of both theological error from a Catholic point of view, and factual error from the point of view of criminal justice and penology.

Theologically, the bishops strongly imply that the death penalty is not simply prudentially uncalled for given the mysterious “improvements” to our criminal justice system, but rather is immoral as being opposed to “human dignity” or the “Gospel of Life:”

The death penalty does not provide true healing for those who mourn, nor does it embody the Gospel of Life, which each of us is called to affirm even in the most difficult circumstances.
…]
By ending the use of the death penalty we would take one important step – among significant others we must take – to abandon the culture of death and embrace the culture of life.
…]
Let us take the more courageous step and choose life instead, even when it seems “unlovable.”

The notion that these, and other bishops have floated, that it contravenes human dignity or that it violates the “Gospel of Life” and embraces the “culture of death” to execute an offender, is an absurd and anti-Christian error with zero support in either sacred Scripture or the Tradition of the Church, which has always and everywhere taught that life is not an absolute value, but may justly and without sin be taken in certain circumstances, such as self-defense, just war, or capital punishment (See, Rev. Thomas Williams, L.C., “Capital Punishment and the Just Society” in Catholic Dossier, Vol. 4, No. 5 (Sept./Oct. 1998). Period, end of story. Any who claim to be orthodox Christians but deny these simple moral truths are deluding themselves and are in serious error; moreover they attack the Church by implying that for 2,000 Her understanding of this issue was wrong.

Beyond their attempt to imply that the death penalty is per se immoral, the bishops tell some flat out lies about its use:

Since 1973, some 152 death row inmates nationwide – including one in Virginia – have been exonerated.

This is an extremely misleading claim, but others have floated this lie. In fact there is strong evidence that not one factually innocent person has been executed in this country since the reintroduction of capital punishment in 1976. Which is to say, the “error rate” in death penalty cases is, so far, zero. But the Catholic Left has picked up on disinformation peddled by the advocacy outfit DPIC, which has been thoroughly debunked.

The case in Virginia referred to by the bishops, Earl Washington, Jr., was a legitimate exoneration, but it also was an example of how the “system,” so criticized by the Left, actually works. Washington was convicted largely on the basis of a confession, but when DNA technology advanced enough to test evidence left at the crime scene, it became apparent Washington was not the rapist. A Democrat governor commuted his sentence to life imprisonment, then a subsequent Republican governor fully pardoned Washington and released him from incarceration. In other words, the system worked. And given modern developments in forensic science and DNA technology, the growing expectation by juries that forensic evidence be present before a capital conviction, and the increasingly careful and selective process prosecutors are using in seeking death sentences, error rates can be lowered even further.

A second whopper the bishops tell is: “We must also be aware of the racial inequity inherent in the system…” It’s possible, but not believable, that the bishops, so keenly following this issue, did not see the study that demonstrated that race is simply not a factor in Virginia death penalty cases. Will they apologize to the prosecutors whom they have slandered as racist?

Of course, as always in these discussions, clerics who delve into the mechanics of the criminal justice system and penology have shown themselves utterly ignorant of the fact we have never found the magical “means” to “render offenders harmless” such that the death penalty would be rendered unnecessary. And now that Pope Francis has declared that even life imprisonment is unacceptable, there is even less reason to believe that we can protect society merely by incarceration.

But the clerical Left will no doubt continue to try to undermine protection of the innocent and the just punishment of the worst offenders in Virginia. (see my blog post for links and citations:seeking4justice.blogspot.com/2015/05/virginias-bishops-wrong-on-theology.html

 

[Ender]

The claim of 152 people on death row being exonerated is demonstrably untrue, and those who fabricated it know it, but those who repeat it in all probability do not. I think this is a case of carelessness on the part of the bishops rather than outright deceit. They oppose the use of capital punishment and have accepted the dishonest claims of other opponents at face value. It reflects poorly on them but I believe they were misled themselves rather than that they were deliberately trying to mislead others.

Ender

 

[tominrichmond]

Yes, you may be right. Instead of liars, our shepherds might simply be too intellectually lazy to get their facts right. I find it amazing to imagine that on a contested issue like this they would not have performed some simple research, but who knows?

Either way, it does not reflect well on their leadership.

 

[pnewton]

I am somewhat shock with the false accusation that a bishop is stating something full of theological error. There is no theological error and I note that no specific heresy was mentioned. I resent the slander against any bishop, even more so on this website. Perhaps the rules of this forum need to be double-checked, and then they should be followed with a modicum of integrity.

I for one am glad that the bishop is wanting to focus on the cultural effect of the death penalty, as our greatest challenge is still abortion and the way that life has become devalued.

 

[Sirach2]

The claim of 152 people on death row being exonerated is demonstrably untrue, and those who fabricated it know it, but those who repeat it in all probability do not. I think this is a case of carelessness on the part of the bishops rather than outright deceit.
Ender

And you know this is true … HOW???

Look at some recent FACTS, please.

 

[Sirach2]

I.E. is being tempermental, and won’t permit an edit. Google Chrome to the rescue.

Scheck co-founded the Innocence Project in 1992 with Peter Neufeld, also his co-counsel on the O.J. Simpson defense team. The Project is dedicated to the utilization of DNA evidence as a means to exculpate individuals of crimes for which they were wrongfully convicted.** As of May 28, 2008, 217 wrongful convictions have been overturned by DNA testing thanks to the Project and other legal organizations.**
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Scheck

Today truly is a Good Friday for Anthony Ray Hinton. (4/3/2015)
He was freed when prosecutors dismissed the charges for his re-trial in the 1985 deaths of two fast-food manager after new testing on Hinton’s gun couldn’t prove the crime scene bullets were fired from the weapons.
“Mr. Hinton has spent 30 years locked in an 5-by-8 cell and with the state of Alabama trying to kill him every day,” Stevenson said. (That’s solitary, folks!!)
al.com/news/index.ssf/2015/04/anthony_ray_hinton_freed_after.html

After serving nearly** 25 years in prison** for the murder of his wife, Michael Morton was freed this afternoon in Texas, exonerated by DNA evidence that connected another man to his wife’s bludgeoning. (I read his book “Getting Life” that goes into awesome detail)
abcnews.go.com/US/michael-morton-free-25-years-prison-exonerated-wifes/story?id=14663445

And this is only the tip of the iceberg. How many were actually executed before innocence could be substantiated?

 

[Sirach2]

Just as an aside, people seldom realize the implications of a life sentence in prison. IMO, it is a far worse fate than the death penalty. After reading Mr. Morton’s book about the horrors of life in prison, that would be a more just sentence to impose. It is not a cake walk in the park, by any means, and there is no escape, as is possible through a death sentence.

 

[Ender]

And you know this is true … HOW???

Look at some recent FACTS, please.

Sure. *DPIC’s [Death Penalty Information Center] widely touted “innocence list” has been aptly characterized in a recent article concluding that DPIC’s claim that 102 innocent people have been released from death row because:
*

It’s not true. DPIC counts people as innocent when they were released from death row for reasons wholly unrelated to any belief that they did not commit the crime charged. A man could be convicted of murder and sentenced to death, have his conviction overturned because of a technicality, and walk free because a witness had died in the interim. According to DPIC he would be an “innocent” who was “exonerated”. Only a minority of the people on DPIC’s list are innocent in any normal sense of the word.
​

From the records of the US Senate: Innocence Protection Act, S. 486, October 16, 2002 - Minority View. The DPIC list is widely known to be …disingenuous.

Ender

 

[Ender]

And this is only the tip of the iceberg. How many were actually executed before innocence could be substantiated?

Contrary to the Majority’s view, we submit that the death penalty system in our country is accurate. Suggestions to the contrary are contradicted by the fact that no credible evidence has been provided to suggest that a single innocent person has been executed since the Supreme Court imposed the heightened protections in 1976. (Innocence Protection Act, S. 486, 2002)
Now I will admit that evidence has been provided that suggests that an innocent person has been executed, but this is still a long way from demonstrating that such an event has actually happened. More to the point, if it has happened it is an extremely rare occasion.

Ender

 

[boar2roar]

Why? The death penalty kills far less people than a certain other thing that some Bishops just can’t not give communion over, is questionably relevant considering drone strikes and assassinations are legal, has been done in the churches past, is done to horrible people as opposed to innocents, and isn’t a world wide thing but done in only certain states and rarely gets carried out… So what if the media and Democrats will pat you on the back for doing it, they’ll just ignore you even more on the other things considering you’ll be even more useless to them then.

 

[Sirach2]

It’s not true.
The DPIC list is widely known to be …disingenuous.

That *MAY *be true, but I was quoting from the annals of the Innocent Project, with data after 2008, which is later than your link in 2002. It does not strike me that the information from my report is “disingenuous.” Sheck would have no reason to trump up such a false charge for personal notoriety, or whatever reason. So how does your alleged factual evidence disprove mine? And why did you feel it was necessary to contradict me, as well as impugn the integrity of the bishops?

I simply shared a point that there are many who are falsely imprisoned – not to debate the merits of the death penalty, nor to find fault with the bishops, as you had done.

I do know that Sheck was contacted by Michael Morton’s attorney, and his evidence obtained his release from wrongful imprisonment. The beauty of this incidence is that the DNA was already in a data bank for the real killer, and Michael was able to attend the killer’s trial and see him sentenced to life. Justice!

Since my post was a FYI to share information, and NOT to debate, I will not be responding further to any of your posts, Ender.

 

[pnewton]

That *MAY *be true, but I was quoting from the annals of the Innocent Project. .

Sirach, consider that we should always be leery of statistics, especially when we have research coming from a group that researches for the purpose of finding a specific result. Likewise, those that use absolute words like “facts” and “true” for what must clearly be opinions in interpretation of statistics should also be taken with suspicion. This sort of uncertainty is why we need to shift focus on the death penalty from issues that are a matter of statistical interpretation to that which is clear, namely, the inherent value of life and how our culture is losing a sense of this value of life, cheapening it both in the cultural media, and in our laws.

 

[Sirach2]

Sirach, consider that we should always be leery of statistics, especially when we have research coming from a group that researches for the purpose of finding a specific result. Likewise, those that use absolute words like “facts” and “true” for what must clearly be opinions in interpretation of statistics should also be taken with suspicion. This sort of uncertainty is why we need to shift focus on the death penalty from issues that are a matter of statistical interpretation to that which is clear, namely, the inherent value of life and how our culture is losing a sense of this value of life, cheapening it both in the cultural media, and in our laws.

Ah-hah ! … you mean “armchair” opinionated survey interpreter/reporters?

The rest of your paragraph is most likely the position of the Virginia bishops.

 

[zerocrossing]

As a Catholic in the Diocese of Arlington, let me provide some context:

Bishop Loverde is an outstanding Bishop. He is theologically orthodox (and the priests who serve under him are theologically orthodox). Among other things, Bishop Loverde is strongly supportive of initiatives such as the Institute of Catholic Culture (which had its origins in my parish), and has given considerable support to priests who wish to learn how to offer mass in the Extraordinary Form. This is not some loosey-goosey theologically liberal Bishop.

So, whether you agree or disagree with him in this joint statement with the Bishop of Richmond, please do not assume he is not orthodox. He is, and our Diocese is blessed to have Bishop Loverde.

 

[LongingSoul]

Originally Posted by Ender
The claim of 152 people on death row being exonerated is demonstrably untrue, and those who fabricated it know it, but those who repeat it in all probability do not. I think this is a case of carelessness on the part of the bishops rather than outright deceit.
Ender

This site lists names and information of the now 153 exonerees. Surely that is a demonstration of fact, Ender?

deathpenaltyinfo.org/innocence-list-those-freed-death-row

 

[Sirach2]

LongingSoul …

 

[Leonhard]

I’m not sure where my beliefs are regarding the Death Penalty, about all I do is argue that its permissible for Catholic’s to believe that its a proper punishment for certain crimes such as murder.

 

[Micosil]

There is no theological error and I note that no specific heresy was mentioned.

Totally agree with you. As the Catechism states,

2267 Assuming that the guilty party’s identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.

If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people’s safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.

Today, in fact, as a consequence of the possibilities which the state has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm - without definitely taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself - the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity "are very rare, if not practically nonexistent."

The bolded out parts, which I’ve emphasized, closely echo the U.S. bishops’ 2005 statement:

catholicphilly.com/2015/05/news/national-news/virginia-bishops-urge-catholics-to-shift-focus-of-death-penalty-debate/

The statement also cited the U.S. bishops’ 2005 statement “A Culture of Life and the Penalty of Death, which summarized church teaching on the death penalty in saying that “no matter how heinous the crime, if society can protect itself from without ending a human life, it should do so.”

Just as an aside, people seldom realize the implications of a life sentence in prison. IMO, it is a far worse fate than the death penalty. After reading Mr. Morton’s book about the horrors of life in prison, that would be a more just sentence to impose. It is not a cake walk in the park, by any means, and there is no escape, as is possible through a death sentence.

I am not so sure about that. What about tetraplegics who request to be euthanized? They can also claim, it is not easy by any means, and there’s no real escape (other than some future medical treatment), other than being euthanized.

I’m not sure where my beliefs are regarding the Death Penalty, about all I do is argue that its permissible for Catholic’s to believe that its a proper punishment for certain crimes such as murder.

The Catechism (paragraph 2267) which I’ve copied here seems to be the Church’s official stance on the death penalty.