Death Penalty

The U.S. Supreme Court, no stranger to death penalty cases, is looking very narrowly at two aspects of capital punishment this term.

Abolishing the death penalty worldwide would reflect the brave and hope-filled belief that crime can be dealt with without capital punishment and that a criminal should be given the chance to reform, a top Vatican diplomat told world leaders.

Did Pope Francis depart from Scripture and tradition in declaring the death penalty "inadmissible"? Or was his declaration rooted deeply in both?

Gov. Pete Ricketts helped finance a ballot drive to reinstate capital punishment after lawmakers overrode his veto in 2015.

A former head of the E.P.A. warns that the pope’s message on the death penalty, like his message on the environment, may not make it to the pews.

The execution would occur a week after Pope Francis revealed new church teaching that deems the death penalty “inadmissible” under all circumstances.