Death penalty opponents strategize ways of limiting its application

Published: 2005-01-28

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Opponents of the death penalty recognize they're fighting a battle on many fronts, rejoicing in piecemeal victories such as a state's decision to impose a moratorium on executions while the fairness of capital punishment is reviewed. They're waiting to see how the Supreme Court rules in a case currently being reviewed over whether it should be possible to impose capital punishment for crimes committed by juveniles. In Kansas and New York, they're trying to convince legislators to let their death penalty laws wither away, rather than fix technical problems that led both states' supreme courts to overturn the laws last year. Andy Rivas, who follows death penalty-related issues for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said Catholic organizations around the country are working on new statewide moratoriums, fighting to keep states without the death penalty from adopting new laws allowing it and pushing for a ban on juvenile executions. Others, such as an American Bar Association committee, are laying the groundwork for longer-term approaches, including trying to figure out how to word a law that would exempt mentally ill people from the death penalty.

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