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Press Conference Focuses on 25 years of State Executions
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On January 13, Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (MADP) hosted a press conference at the State Capitol to commemorate Missouri's resumption of executions in 1989 and to call for an end to state executions. The event featured speakers who have first-hand knowledge of the death penalty system.
Rita Linhardt, MCC staff and Chair of the Board for MADP, issued an opening statement saying that from a moral, religious, and human rights perspective, the death penalty is unacceptable. She noted, "the death penalty falls heavily on people of color, the poor, people with limited mental capacity, and those with mental illness."
Elizabeth Unger Carlyle, an attorney for several Missouri death row inmates, highlighted the systemic flaws of the death penalty system she has experienced and the heavy toll it takes on all involved. "I think the system is broken, and there is no reason to try to fix it," Carlyle said.
Reggie Griffin, formerly living on death row in Missouri and exonerated in 2013, gave a powerful account of what it was like living under a death sentence. "It was horrible knowing that you didn't commit the crime, but that you could be next in line to die," he said. He noted how difficult it was to transition back to society after 30 years in prison.
Val Brown, whose daughter and two others were murdered by Deandre Buchanon, gave a moving talk on why she opposes the death penalty. "He took something precious from me," Brown said. "At first, I wanted him dead so much, I could've taken his life myself." But she was eventually able to meet him and forgive him. "The death penalty is not gonna help ... getting rid of him won't bring her back."
Charlie Rogers, attorney for Herbert Smulls, who is scheduled to be executed in January, talked about the issues in the case. "Mr. Smulls could be the poster child for racial bias in the death penalty," noted Rogers. He explained how an all white jury convicted Mr. Smulls, a black man, after the prosecutor used false pretext to eliminate the one prospective black juror.
 Reggie Griffin, exonerated in 2013, tells his powerful story about what it was like to live under a death sentence. |
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Legislators take Action Regarding Concerns about Recent Executions
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Several state lawmakers are calling for action regarding how the Missouri Department of Corrections is carrying out executions.
The House Committee on Government Oversight and Accountability will hold a hearing next week on the state's execution protocol. The first area the committee will focus on is the standard that the Department uses for determining if the condemned has had all of their constitutional appeals determined by the appropriate courts.
This inquiry is the result of a recent scathing opinion by Judge Kermit Bye of the Western District Court stating that Allen Nicklasson was executed before the court had completed its review of the constitutionality of Missouri's execution protocol.
The committee will also seek information on the Department's process for determining the new drug used in executions and if the drug was obtained by an unlicensed pharmacy.
It is unclear at this time what timeline the committee is working under or what recommendations the committee might make regarding execution practices.
Representitive John Rizzo (D-Kansas City) has a more definite plan of action. He filed HB 1409 this week, which would create a commission on Lethal Injection Administration and would place a moratorium on the death penalty until certain procedures and protocol are adopted. |
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State Auditor Looks into Death Penalty Practices
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It appears that at least one state official is concerned about Missouri's death penalty practices. State Auditor Tom Schweich announced that his office has begun an audit of the Department of Corrections. While the audit is a routine practice, the auditor has decided to also examine whether or not the Department has followed its own policies and procedures with respect to the execution protocol. His report is due out this fall. |
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Criminal Procedures Legislation Aims to Prevent Wrongful Convictions
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Convicting an innocent person is a travesty not only for the person, but also the community at large. This week Senator Joseph Keaveny (D-St. Louis) introduced SB 732, a bill that aims to prevent wrongful convictions by reforming a portion of Missouri's criminal justice system. The bill will focus on a few key areas, including development of written policies governing eyewitness identification procedures, guidelines for unrecorded interrogations, retaining biological evidence longer, and written guidelines for the identification, collection and preservation of biological evidence.
Elements of SB 732 were based on recommendations made by the American Bar Association after it conducted a 2012 study of Missouri's death penalty system. Various groups, including the MCC, were consulted in the drafting of the bill.
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House Committee Hears "Show Me Healthy Babies" Proposal
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This week, the House Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities heard a bill that would establish the "Show Me Healthy Babies" program. House Bill 1065, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Grisamore (R- Lee's Summit), would provide insurance coverage to unborn children whose mothers earn too much to qualify for Medicaid. The bill would provide insurance coverage for the babies of mothers earning up to 300% of the poverty level, and is expected to cover 1,844 unborn children whose mothers would otherwise not receive medical care through the MO Healthnet program.
The Missouri Catholic Conference, Campaign Life Missouri, Missouri Right to Life, and other pro-life advocates testified in support of the bill.
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Report Shows Poverty Rising in the State
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This week the Missourians to End Poverty Coalition released a report showing that statewide poverty has risen from 15.8 percent in 2011 to 16.2 percent in 2012. Nearly 948,000 people in Missouri are living at or below the federal poverty level. According to federal guidelines a family of four earning $23,550 or less is living in poverty.
The report, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of President Johnson's War on Poverty Campaign, outlined the five elements the lack of which constitute poverty. These include food, health, education, energy, and economic security.
Some goals of the group are to enroll all uninsured children who are eligible for Medicaid into the program, and to increase affordable, nutritious food for children. |
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Ethics in Government: A Renewed Concern Among Legislators
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There is increasing interest within the general assembly to address how elections are funded and how lobbyists interact with state legislators. State Senator Scott Rupp (R-Wentzville) has filed legislation (SB 486) that would limit the campaign contributions that can be made by an individual or committee in support of a candidate running for public office. State Senator Jamilah Nasheed (D-St. Louis) has also filed legislation (SB 555) that would limit campaign contributions.
Senate Bill 629, sponsored by State Senator Will Kraus (R-Lee's Summit), would limit the gifts lobbyists can give to legislators. Senator John Lamping (R-St. Louis) is pushing legislation (SB 512) for more transparency and disclosure by paid political consultants, employees of statewide elected officials, and members of the General Assembly. State Representative Kevin McManus (D-Kansas City) has filed a campaign reform bill - HB 1340. St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter Virginia Young recently wrote about ethics legislation, click here to read the article.
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Participation in Political Life Essential in Democracy
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Laws that address elections and the legislative process can have a major influence on the degree to which citizens participate in their government. The Catechism of the Catholic Church pays tribute to "those nations whose systems permit the largest possible number of the citizens to take part in public life in a climate of genuine freedom," (par. 1915). This theme is taken up in more detail in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, in which it is stated:
Participation in community life is not only one of the greatest aspirations of the citizen, called to exercise freely and responsibly his civic role with and for others, but is also one of the pillars of all democratic orders and one of the major guarantees of the permanence of the democratic system. Democratic government, in fact, is defined first of all by the assignment of powers and functions on the part of the people, exercised in their name, in their regard and on their behalf. It is therefore clearly evident that every democracy must be participative. This means that the different subjects of civil community at every level must be informed, listened to and involved in the exercise of the carried-out functions," (par. 190).
In regards to the legislation filed this year, many questions arise. Some argue limits on campaign spending or lobbyist contributions curtail free speech and inhibit citizen involvement in their government. Others suggest that without such limits well-funded special interests obtain an unfair advantage in influencing legislators to the detriment of the effective participation of ordinary citizens. |
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Catholic Bishops in Forefront on Anti-Trafficking Efforts
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Each year some 17,000 men, women, and children are trafficked across the U.S. border into modern-day slavery. The U.S. Catholic bishops are trying to raise awareness through their Anti-Trafficking Program and the Become a Shepherd parish education outreach. Is your parish involved? Check out the information provided in the links above and then consider how you and your parish can help to put an end to this horrible trafficking of human beings.
St. Josephine Bakhita was a slave who became a Catholic saint. The Catholic bishops have prepared a prayer card of her that can be used in reflecting on the scourge of human trafficking. |
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