death penalty news April 1, 2005
IOWA: Deadlocked Senate headed toward death penalty showdown The deadlocked Iowa Senate appears headed for a showdown over one of the most emotional issues lawmakers have faced this session - the question of reinstating the death penalty. Republican leaders insist they'll push for a vote on the issue, perhaps as early as next week. Democratic leaders say they won't allow debate. And with the Senate split at 25-to-25, the outcome is far from clear.The debate has erupted in the wake of the abduction and slaying of a 10-year-old Cedar Rapids girl. A registered sex offender is charged with the crime.The Legislature is moving forward with efforts to toughen sex abuse laws, but some lawmakers also are talking about reviving the state's death penalty, abolished in 1965, as part of the debate. (source: AP / WQAD.com) USA: Church?s pro-life teaching on death penalty clarified The U.S. bishops, in accord with Pope John Paul II, have issued an appeal for a consensus to end the use of the death penalty in our society. In the following interview, Susan Rauscher, diocesan secretary for pastoral and social concerns, outlined church teaching on the death penalty in contemporary society. What does the Catholic Church teach about the death penalty? The church has long recognized the right of civil authority to protect society through the creation of laws and the execution of punishment for those who violate laws. The church, however, calls for governments to limit themselves to non-lethal means as a form of punishment when there are sufficient means to defend and protect people?s safety. While the use of the death penalty may at times fit into the definition of a ?legitimate defense,? those instances are becoming exceedingly rare as society continues to develop effective, non-lethal means to protect society from crime. Our Holy Father continues to advocate for a review of the appropriateness of the use of the death penalty to ensure that the sanctity of life is being safeguarded to the greatest extent possible. Why is capital punishment regarded by the Catholic Church as a pro-life issue? As pro-life people, we are called to be the undaunted defenders of all human life. That requires that we not only recognize the inherent dignity in the lives of the innocent, but we also recognize that human dignity exists in each of us simply by our human nature. God gives the gift of human life and he alone should determine the life span for each of us. The very nature of human life dictates that human dignity is not something that can be earned and, therefore, it cannot be taken away. The sanctity of human life is inviolable and respect for human life must be preserved even for those who do not respect human life themselves. We must respond to criminals, even brutal murderers, in ways that reflect the teaching of Christ. If the church seeks an end to the use of the death penalty, isn?t it in essence ignoring victims of violent crime? The church?s opposition to the death penalty should never be construed as lack of compassion for victims and their families. Violence wreaks a deep and terrible price on society as well as on victims. As Christians, we are called to respond with deep concern and compassion for those who have been victimized by violent crime and are trying to navigate the intense pain and grief that results from senseless and brutal violence. It is important to recognize that opposition to the death penalty is not opposition to justice. It is opposing the cycle of violence and physical revenge as an answer to crime, and replaces it with a commitment to swift, effective and non-lethal punishment that makes way for the healing power of forgiveness. With all of the violent atrocities that take innocent human life, why does the church feel compelled to speak out about capital punishment? The death penalty not only unnecessarily takes the life of those guilty of horrible crimes, but it also has a devastating effect on society. Society is made weaker by continually turning to death as a solution for complex problems. A system that resorts to promoting death as the solution deserves our deliberate scrutiny and attention. In ?Confronting a Culture of Violence,? our U.S. bishops remind us that ?a society which destroys its children, abandons its old and relies on vengeance fails fundamental moral tests. How do we teach the young to curb their violence when we embrace it as the solution to societal problems?? Doesn?t the death penalty serve as a valuable deterrent against future criminal activity? There are no studies that clearly show that the death penalty deters anyone from murder. Studies that compare statistics in states that practice capital punishment with states that do not use death as a punishment find that there is no significant difference in the murder rate. Therefore, it is misleading to hold up public executions as a viable way to deter violent, heinous crimes. One cannot teach about the inherent sanctity of life by taking life. Don?t accused defendants receive a trial that determines their guilt and, therefore, imposes a death sentence on those who would put society at the greatest risk? Particularly in recent years with the introduction of DNA evidence, there are recurring times when death row inmates have been exonerated due to new or different evidence proving their innocence. Since 1973, there have been more than 100 death row inmates exonerated. This strongly suggests that innocent people have been killed by the state for crimes they did not commit and that our capital punishment system is indeed fallible. Additionally, our country has in place a capital punishment system that is fraught with the reality that the application of the death penalty has been unfairly applied to vulnerable groups of people. Racial minorities, the poor, the uneducated and the disadvantaged often have inadequate and ineffective legal representation that has led to these groups of people being executed at a disproportionately higher rate. As Catholics, what are we called to do in terms of understanding the death penalty? Our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, reminds us that the new evangelization calls for followers of Christ to be unconditionally pro-life. He tells us that we are to proclaim, celebrate and serve the Gospel of life in every situation. We must be committed to increasing the recognition that the dignity of human life must never be ignored, even in the case of someone who has done great evil. Jesus? words and actions modeled for us the compassionate embrace of forgiveness. We are called to embrace that forgiveness. (source: Pittsburgh Catholic)
