Kansas Catholic Conference » Capital Punishment

January 30th Is Kansas Death Penalty Abolition Day

Michael — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:59:45 +0000

Kansas hasn’t always had the death penalty. In fact, the death penalty has been repealed twice, the first time being in 1907 when Governor Hoch signed a bill to end the state death penalty. The exact date Governor Hoch signed that historic piece of legislation was January 30^th, which is why January 30^th is now known to some as Death Penalty Abolition Day in Kansas. Repeal of the death penalty could happen again in Kansas, so this January 30^th, take time to encourage Governor Brownback and members of the Kansas Legislature to repeal the death penalty.

Bishop Jackels’ statement in favor of repealing the death penalty

Illinois Abolishes the Death Penalty

Michael — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 23:49:20 +0000

Governor Pat Quinn has signed a law ending the use of the death penalty in Illinois.

Death Penalty Repeal Bill Introduced

Michael — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 18:14:17 +0000

Legislation that would end the use of the death penalty has been introduced in the Kansas House of Representatives. Last year, the Kansas Senate came within one vote of approving legislation that would have repealed Kansas’s death penalty law. The Kansas bishops support repeal as they believe that capital punishment is not necessary to keep society safe in modern industrialized societies.

Number of Executions Falls in 2010

Michael — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 20:45:55 +0000

According to the Death Penalty Information Center, there were 6 fewer executions in the United States than last year. Read More >>

Man Freed from Death Row

Michael — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:20:47 +0000

A Texas man was released from prison after spending 18 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit, and for which he was sentenced to death. Anthony Graves, now 45, entered prison when he was 26 years old. His case shines a light on the terrifying likelihood that innocent men have been put to death in the United States.

Kansas Senate Defeats Death Penalty Repeal

Michael — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:54:47 +0000

Legislation abolishing the death penalty in Kansas was voted down by the narrowest of margins in the Kansas Senate. By a vote of 20-20, the Senate fell one vote short of what was needed to send the repeal legislation to the House of Representatives. Michael Jackels, Bishop of Wichita, testified earlier in the year in support of the bill. Senators voted as follows:

Yeas: Brungardt, Emler, Faust-Goudeau, Francisco, Haley, Hensley, Kelly, Kultala, Lee, McGinn, Morris, Owens, Pilcher-Cook, Reitz, Schmidt V, Steineger, Taddiken, Teichman, Umbarger, Vratil.

Nays: Abrams, Apple, Barnett, Brownlee, Bruce, Colyer, Donovan, Holland, Huelskamp, Huntington, Kelsey, Lynn, Marshall, Masterson, Ostmeyer, Petersen, Pyle, Schmidt D, Schodorf, Wagle.

Senate Committee Approves Death Penalty Repeal

Michael — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 23:27:50 +0000

Legislation that would end the use of the death penalty in Kansas has been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee and will now be debated by the full Senate. The committee vote was 7-4.

Bishop Jackels Testifies on Death Penalty

Michael — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:20:26 +0000

On January 19, Bishop Michael Jackels of Wichita testified in support of legislation that would repeal the death penalty in Kansas. The Kansas Senate Judiciary Committee is the Senate committee with jurisdiction over this legislation.

Hearings on Death Penalty Legislation Set for January

Michael — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 05:04:04 +0000

The Chairman of the Kansas Senate Judiciary Committee plans to devote the week of January 19-22 to a hearing on legislation ending the use of the death penalty in Kansas. Last session, the Committee approved similar legislation, only to have it stall in the full Senate. Read More >>