Death Penalty

Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark, New Jersey has said that executing federal death row inmate Dustin Le Honken "will do nothing to restore justice or heal those burdened by these crimes."

"As faith leaders from a diverse range of traditions, we call on President Trump and Attorney General Barr to stop the scheduled federal executions," the group said in the statement released July 7.

Sister Helen Prejean, a long-time advocate of abolishing the death penalty, has said that the Supreme Court has "abdicated its legal and moral responsibilities" in allowing executions to proceed in various cases.

The executions would mark the first use of the death penalty on the federal level since 2003.

The U.S. Supreme Court granted a last-minute stay of execution for Texas death-row inmate Ruben Gutierrez June 16, saying the state prison officials need to reexamine their rule that bans clergy from being with prisoners to the execution chamber.

Attorney General William Barr has set execution dates for four federal prisoners on death row.