Frankfort, KY (October 22, 2002)
–Kentucky’s Roman Catholic bishops join in the call to Governor Patton to
commute the death sentence of Kevin Stanford. According to Vincent E. Senior,
CCK’s Executive Director, “Kentucky’s bishops are offering their support to
Governor Patton if he elects to use his constitutional power to stop the
execution of Kevin Stanford. Our Governor faces a gravely historic opportunity
to prevent this execution of a juvenile offender and he has our support.”
Kevin Stanford was 17 years old when he convicted of murdering Ms. Baerbel
Poore in Jefferson County.
The bishops also call on Roman Catholics
and all persons of goodwill to pray for Ms. Poore’s family, Governor Patton
and Kevin Stanford. October is designated as Respect Life month in the Church
and the bishops urge all Catholics to reflect on the violence of the death
penalty. CCK has circulated information to all parishes in the state directing
Catholics to contact Governor Patton in support of commuting Stanford’s death
sentence.
“Sadly, just as Kevin Stanford chose on
that January night in 1981, our Supreme Court is now choosing death over life
and further advancing our nation’s “culture of death”. Governor Patton is the
only one who now has the power to stop the cycle of killing, I pray he chooses
wisely,” said Scott Wegenast, a CCK policy analyst.
Archbishop Thomas C. Kelly, O.P., stated,
“The Church’s opposition to the death penalty does not arise from misplaced
sympathy for convicted murderers. On the contrary, murder demonstrates a lack
of respect for human life and I urge Governor Patton to be courageous in his
decision.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church was revised in 1997 to
reflect more clearly a consistent ethic of respect for human life and current
Papal teaching (cf., Catechism of the Catholic Church nn. 2266-2268,
John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae, n. 56).
The Court’s rejection of Kevin Stanford’s
appeal is contrary to the Church’s teaching that all human life, in all its
conditions, must be respected. According to Fr. Pat Delahanty, a policy
analyst for CCK, “Executing children, even those who have committed horrible
crimes, demonstrates the failure of our government to recognize the most basic
human right, the right to life. Governor Patton has the opportunity to
reaffirm what is best in our humanity in the face of inhumane behavior. I urge
him to commute Kevin Stanford’s death sentence.”
502-875-2841 Fax