Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski

Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski testified on Monday in support of House Bill 2153, which seeks to abolish the death penalty in Missouri. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jim Murphy, would eliminate the death penalty as a sentencing option in the state. A hearing took place on March 9 in Jefferson City.

“The revised Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person. It is no longer necessary to protect society because we have other means of incarcerating those who commit horrible crimes,” Archbishop Rozanski said in his testimony.

The death penalty also carries the risk of executing innocent persons, the archbishop said. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, since 1973, more than 200 people sentenced to death have later been exonerated.

Several others testified in support of the bill, and no witnesses testified in opposition at the hearing.

Read more: https://www.stlouisreview.com/story/archbishop-rozanski-testifies-support-bill-abolish-death-penalty/

📷: Missouri Catholic Conference