Bishops criticize Supreme Court for upholding Kansas death penalty

Published: 2006-07-03

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Speaking on behalf of the state's bishops, the executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference expressed regret June 30 at a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the Kansas statute on capital punishment is constitutional. Mike Farmer, commenting on a June 26 high court decision, said the bishops of Kansas' four Catholic dioceses would continue to work with the Legislature to overturn the death penalty law. Writing for the majority in the 5-4 decision, Justice Clarence Thomas said the Kansas Supreme Court had erred in ruling that the instruction form for jurors in capital cases was flawed because it required jurors to vote unanimously for either life imprisonment or the death sentence and set capital punishment as the sentence if jurors could not agree. "In this case the Supreme Court said a tie goes to the state, instead of the defendant," Farmer said. "I am surprised and disappointed at their ruling."

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