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Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Intellectual Disability and the Death Penalty

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On January 25th, Georgia Catholics Against the Death Penalty hosted a webinar entitled “Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Intellectual Disability and the Death Penalty.” The webinar featured Brian Stull, a senior staff attorney with the ACLU Capital Punishment Project and lead counsel on the Young vs. Georgia case, a case which may be taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court and seeks to challenge Georgia’s unreasonably high burden of proving intellectual disability. Additional panelists include Maggie Rousseau (Director of Disabilities Ministry) and Jayna Hoffacker (Associate Director of Justice and Peace Ministries) of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, and Frank Mulcahy, Executive Director of the Georgia Catholic Conference.

We invite you to watch a replay of the webinar here:

The slides used during the presentation can be downloaded here.

As always, we appreciate your feedback. If you participated in the webinar online, or watched the replay, please take a moment to fill out a short evaluation and let us know what you thought of the webinar.

Webinar – Not in Our Name: The Road to Abolishing the Death Penalty in Georgia

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As we look toward the start of the Georgia General Assembly’s 2022 Session in January, the Archdiocese of Atlanta and Georgia Catholics Against the Death Penalty invite you to join us as we discuss the many roads to abolition and how you can join the movement to end the death penalty in our state.

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Prayer Service – World Day Against the Death Penalty

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On this 19th World Day Against the Death Penalty, please join Georgia Catholics Against the Death Penalty and the Archdiocese of Atlanta for prayer and reflection on our Gospel call to promote mercy and justice.

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GACADP News

Archbishop Hartmayer Supports House Bill 485

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Archbishop Hartmayer released a statement in support of House Bill 485.

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Execution Date Set for Donnie Lance

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Just hours after sparing Jimmy Meders, the state of Georgia announced that Donnie Lance is scheduled to be executed at 7 PM on January 29th, 2019. Should the Board of Pardons and Paroles deny his request for clemency, please plan to join with Georgians of all faiths at one of the vigil sites below. In the meantime, please keep Donnie, his family and friends, and the family and friends of Joy Lance and Dwight Wood, the victims, in your prayers.

Vigils for Donnie Lance

Americus
Time: 7 PM
Location: 1324 GA Hwy 49 South, Americus, GA 31719
Contact: Elizabeth Dede
Phone #: 229-591-0114
Email: elizabeth@koinoniafarm.org

Athens
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: UGA Arch on East Broad Street
Contact: Robbie Buller
Phone #: 706-338-4572
Email: robbie@jubileepartners.org

Atlanta-State Capitol
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: 206 Washington St, Atlanta, GA 30334
Contact: Peggy Hendrix
Phone #: 404-771-8940
Email: peggyhendrix2000@yahoo.com

Augusta-Augusta Judicial Center
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: 735 James Brown Blvd, Augusta, GA 30901
Contact: Ayman Fadal
Phone #: 706-284-3002
Email: afadel97@gmail.com

Clarkesville-Courthouse (Near the Gazebo)
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: 226 Grant St, Clarkesville, GA 30523
Contact: Anne Hall
Phone #: 706-754-7011
Email: annehall987@gmail.com

Columbus-Columbus Consolidated Government Center
Time: 6 PM
Location: 100 10th St, Columbus, GA 31901
Contact: Edward Dubose
Phone #: 706-464-8539
Email: edubose252@aol.com

Dawson
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Hwy 520 & Hwy 82
Contact: Rev. Holley
Phone #: 229-407-0101
Email: tholley@mediacombb.net

Decatur-Old Courthouse on the Square (Ponce Side)
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: 101 E Court Square, Decatur, GA 30030
Contact: Andrew Johnson
Email: ahjohnson113@gmail.com

Jackson-GA Diagnostic and Classification Prison (Death Row)
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: 2978 GA-36, Jackson, GA 30283
Contact: Mary Catherine Johnson
Phone #: 404-273-0621
Email: mcjohnson78@yahoo.com

Johns Creek-St. Brigid Catholic Church
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: 3400 Old Alabama Rd, Johns Creek, GA 30022
Contact: Cathy Schneider
Phone #: 502-592-9123
Email: cathyschneider123@gmail.com

Macon-City Hall
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: 700 Poplar St, Macon, GA 31201
Contact: Kellie Divis
Email: kjdivis@gmail.com

Marietta-Cobb County Courthouse (On the Square)
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: 12 E Park Square, Marietta, GA 30090 (on the corner of Cherokee & Roswell Street)
Contact: Debby Freel
Email: debbyfreel@gmail.com

Savannah-City Hall
Time: 5 PM
Location: 2 E Bay St, Savannah, GA 31401 (Corner of E Bay & Bull Street)
Contact: Sister Jackie Griffith
Phone #: 912-484-8378
Email: jackiegriffith@comcast.net

56% of Georgians Favor Replacing the Death Penalty

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In a poll conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy from December 19 through December 23, 2019, 56% of Georgia voters favored replacing the death penalty with a sentence of life without the possibility of parole. 33% were opposed while 11% were undecided. The margin for error in the poll was +- 4 percentage points.

Respondents were asked:

Because of the constitutionally-mandated appeals, additional trials and associated housing expenses, the death penalty costs Georgia taxpayers substantially more than sentencing prisoners to life in prison with no possibility of parole. Additionally, death penalty cases can drag on for more than a decade, forcing victims’ families to endure years of uncertainty and waiting. In contrast, a sentence of life in prison without parole would offer swift and certain justice that allows these families to move on with the healing process.

Given this, would you support or oppose replacing the death penalty in Georgia with a life sentence without parole?

The results paint a clear picture – faced with an expensive and error-prone system, a majority of Georgians are in favor of eliminating the death penalty and redirecting needed money to solving other crimes, investing in education to prevent crime, and providing more services to victims and their families.

The results hold true across the entire state, with a majority in each region in favor of replacement:

Region Support Oppose Undecided
Atlanta Metro61%27%12%
North Georgia46%43%11%
Central Georgia51%40%9%
South Georgia52%38%10%

The results were similar across age ranges, with a higher number of those under 50 favoring replacing the death penalty:

Women more strongly favor replacement, though a majority of men are in support:

Download the full survey results

Execution Date Set for Jimmy Meders

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The State of Georgia has scheduled the execution of Jimmy Meders for January 16th, 2020 at 7 PM. If carried out, this would be the first person put to death in Georgia this year. Should a stay not be granted, and If you are able, please consider joining with Georgians of all faiths at one of the vigils below.

Regardless, please keep Mr. Meders, his family and friends, and the family and friends of Don Anderson, the victim, in your prayers.

Vigils for Jimmy Meders

Americus
Time: 7 PM
Location: 1324 GA Hwy 49 South, Americus, GA 31719
Contact: Elizabeth Dede
Phone #: 229-591-0114
Email: elizabeth@koinoniafarm.org

Athens
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: UGA Arch on East Broad Street
Contact: Robbie Buller
Phone #: 706-338-4572
Email: robbie@jubileepartners.org

Atlanta-State Capitol
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: 206 Washington St, Atlanta, GA 30334
Contact: Peggy Hendrix
Phone #: 404-771-8940
Email: peggyhendrix2000@yahoo.com

Augusta-Augusta Judicial Center
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: 735 James Brown Blvd, Augusta, GA 30901
Contact: Ayman Fadal
Phone #: 706-284-3002
Email: afadel97@gmail.com

Clarkesville-Courthouse (Near the Gazebo)
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: 226 Grant St, Clarkesville, GA 30523
Contact: Anne Hall
Phone #: 706-754-7011
Email: annehall987@gmail.com

Columbus-Columbus Consolidated Government Center
Time: 6 PM
Location: 100 10th St, Columbus, GA 31901
Contact: Edward Dubose
Phone #: 706-464-8539
Email: edubose252@aol.com

Dawson
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Hwy 520 & Hwy 82
Contact: Rev. Holley
Phone #: 229-407-0101
Email: tholley@mediacombb.net

Decatur-Old Courthouse on the Square (Ponce Side)
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: 101 E Court Square, Decatur, GA 30030
Contact: Andrew Johnson
Email: ahjohnson113@gmail.com

Jackson-GA Diagnostic and Classification Prison (Death Row)
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: 2978 GA-36, Jackson, GA 30283
Contact: Mary Catherine Johnson
Phone #: 404-273-0621
Email: mcjohnson78@yahoo.com

Johns Creek-St. Brigid Catholic Church
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: 3400 Old Alabama Rd, Johns Creek, GA 30022
Contact: Cathy Schneider
Phone #: 502-592-9123
Email: cathyschneider123@gmail.com

Macon-City Hall
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: 700 Poplar St, Macon, GA 31201
Contact: Kellie Divis
Email: kjdivis@gmail.com

Marietta-Cobb County Courthouse (On the Square)
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: 12 E Park Square, Marietta, GA 30090 (on the corner of Cherokee & Roswell Street)
Contact: Debby Freel
Email: debbyfreel@gmail.com

Savannah-City Hall
Time: 5 PM
Location: 2 E Bay St, Savannah, GA 31401 (Corner of E Bay & Bull Street)
Contact: Sister Jackie Griffith
Phone #: 912-484-8378
Email: jackiegriffith@comcast.net

New Hampshire Abolishes Capital Punishment

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The New Hampshire State Senate voted to override the governor’s veto of a death penalty repeal bill today. This allows the repeal to become law and makes New Hampshire the 21st state to abolish capital punishment in the United States. We join the people of New Hampshire in celebrating this victory for the dignity of all human life.

Scotty Morrow

Scotty Morrow Executed

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Speaking words of contrition, Scotty Morrow became the first Georgian to be executed this year on Thursday May, 2nd. Scotty had been sentenced to die for the murders of Barbara Young and Tonya Woods in 1994. Mr. Morrow expressed remorse, and apologized to the Young and Woods family as his final act.

We are grateful for all who prayed for Scotty, his family and friends, and the family and friends of Barbara Young and Tonya Woods. Many Catholics also participated at various prayer vigils held Thursday night around the state.

Please continue to pray that our state will uphold the value and dignity of all human life, even for those guilty of violent crimes.

Pope Francis

Catechism Revised to Reflect Inadmissibility of the Death Penalty

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Ever since Saint Pope John Paul II asked that the teaching on the death penalty be reformulated so as to better reflect the development of the doctrine that has taken place in recent times, successive Popes have continued to clarify Church teaching in regard to the death penalty.

Today, the Vatican announced that a section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church would be updated in light of Pope Francis’ developed teaching that the death penalty is inadmissible in all cases “because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person.”

The revised section of the Catechism reads:

2267. Recourse to the death penalty on the part of legitimate authority, following a fair trial, was long considered an appropriate response to the gravity of certain crimes and an acceptable, albeit extreme, means of safeguarding the common good.

Today, however, there is an increasing awareness that the dignity of the person is not lost even after the commission of very serious crimes. In addition, a new understanding has emerged of the significance of penal sanctions imposed by the state. Lastly, more effective systems of detention have been developed, which ensure the due protection of citizens but, at the same time, do not definitively deprive the guilty of the possibility of redemption.

Consequently, the Church teaches, in the light of the Gospel, that “the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person”,[1] and she works with determination for its abolition worldwide.

A full explanation of the change can be found on the Vatican website at:

http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2018/08/02/180802b.html

We hope you join us in thanks for this hope-filled day. We continue our prayers that our state, nation, and countries around the world will continue to move toward protecting ALL human life