Statement on the Recommendations of the Maryland Commission on Capital Punishment

Most Rev. Edwin F. O'Brien
Archbishop of Baltimore

Most Rev. Donald W. Wuerl
Archbishop of Washington

Most Rev. W. Francis Malooly
Bishop of Wilmington

This morning a blue ribbon panel of victims’ families, faith leaders, legislators, law enforcement officials and others recommended that the State of Maryland repeal capital punishment. This is a day the Maryland Catholic Conference has worked toward for more than 20 years, having been a leader in successful efforts to ban the execution of juveniles (1987) and persons with mental retardation (1989). We welcome the panel’s recommendation, and are pleased that the Church served a role in securing it largely through the participation of Bishop Denis Madden, auxiliary bishop of Baltimore, as a member of the Commission.

Yet the accomplishment of complete repeal is not yet attained. More work remains. To that end, we ask legislators to consider thoughtfully the Commission’s troubling findings about the application of the death penalty in our state. We urge Catholic voters to contact their state lawmakers in support of repeal. We look forward to collaborating with other faith leaders to champion repeal.

The Catholic Church favors non-lethal means of protecting society from an aggressor. The state has these means available to it in the form of life-without-parole sentences, a severe punishment and more in keeping with the common good and the dignity of the human person. Moreover, the Church also recognizes that justice is appropriately served only once “the guilty party’s identity and responsibility have been fully determined” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2267). Among the findings of the Maryland Commission on Capital Punishment is a “real possibility” that innocent individuals could be executed. This disturbing finding, along with those of racial and geographic bias, offers additional confirmation that repeal of the death penalty in Maryland should be adopted, and soon.

The Maryland Catholic Conference represents the bishops of Maryland in advancing the common public-policy and pastoral interests of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the Archdiocese of Washington, and the Diocese of Wilmington.