Florida bishops petition governor to stay two executions set for same day - Vatican News
Michael Brown ·
· News about the Church
The Florida bishops have sent a letter to Governor Ron DeSantis urging him to stay the executions of James Duckett and Dominick Occhicone, scheduled for July 28. The bishops emphasize that while their crimes are gravely evil, it is possible to uphold justice and exercise mercy. They request commuting their sentences to life in prison without parole, citing Pope John Paul II's teaching that not even a murderer loses his personal dignity. The bishops also note the callousness of requiring state officers to carry out two executions on the same day.