- The death penalty is in decline in states with large # of Catholics. NJ, which recently abolished the DP, has 3rd highest # of Catholics. #
- States in Bible Belt with fewest # of Catholics, under influence of Southern Baptist Convention have largest death rows, most executions. #
- It seems like a good time to be galvanizing Catholics to end the death penalty. #
- Presently there are five Catholics on the U.S. Supreme Court: Roberts, Kennedy, Scalia, Thomas, Alito. #
- If the Catholic community in dialogue with these justices could persuade one of them… #
- … to allow his ethical lens to open wider his interpretation of the Constitution’s mandate of "equal justice under law"… #
- …we would have the 5-4 vote needed to declare the death penalty unconstitutional. #
- Tim Robbins’ play of Dead Man Walking, which he gave over to US schools and colleges, has now been performed in well over 100 schools. #
- I saw a production by grades 6-12 at Buffalo Academy for Visual & Performing Arts last week. Minimal set, extraordinary acting – fantastic. #
- We also did a 3-day non-violence workshop. So wonderful to see alternatives to violence being taught in schools. #
- @yostsa What is the link to your blog about the peace camp? #
- Truly hopeful: In Virginia last week, I met Tyson Daniel, a capital defense lawyer. 12 capital cases went to trial, 0 death penalties. #
- To date, Virginia has been one of the killingest states, 2nd to Texas. Now, VA hasn’t had an execution in 4 years, with 30 on death row. #
- They’re shutting executions down using the Colorado method: work with the juries all the way from the voir dire. #
- @ericagee It’s also to help jury recognize the bent of the constitution is towards life; must have an extraordinary reason to choose death. #
- This approach helps counterbalance the terrible bias caused by the automatic exclusion of any juror who says they oppose the death penalty. #
- All juries on death penalty cases must be "death approved". Doesn’t that seem unfair? That juries are loaded with DP supporters? #
- I’m spending the day at Angola prison in Louisiana, visiting Manuel Ortiz who not only should not be on death row, he should not be in jail. #
- I’m very excited about using Twitter to connect with people. I’ve written in my blog about it. http://www.sisterhelen.org/?p=31 #