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Faith Leaders Host Rally Against Death Penalty In Virginia

For Immediate Release

April 18, 2016

Contact:

Michelle Nealy, mnealy@faithinpubliclife.org, 202-735-7123

Allison Walter, awalter@faithinpubliclife.org, 913-375-7730

Faith Leaders to Host Rally Against the Death Penalty in Virginia

Clergy gather ahead of veto session to oppose secrecy in Virginia’s executions and veto HB

Richmond, VA — More than 500 faith leaders, including over 150 Virginia clergy and women religious, are calling on Virginia’s legislature to reject a secrecy amendment added to the ‘electric chair’ bill by Gov. Terry McAuliffe. The amendment would allow the state to obtain lethal injection drugs from compounding pharmacies without having to reveal their identities.

This prominent coalition of interfaith clergy believe that the new secrecy amendment is dangerous and immoral because it would shield the pharmacies from accountability, even in lawsuits or Freedom of Information Act requests. These clergy share a common belief that the death penalty is wrong and ineffective, born of a mistaken conception of justice that can only be made worse by secrecy and deception.

Gov. McAuliffe stated that if the legislature rejects the secrecy amendment, he’ll veto the electric chair bill, effectively ending the death penalty in Virginia. The General Assembly will convene on April 20th to decide whether to reject or accept the Governor’s amendments.

WHAT: Press conference opposing Gov. McAuliffe’s ‘secrecy amendment’

WHEN: Monday, April 18th, 11:00 a.m.

WHERE: House Briefing Room, General Assembly Building, 201 N 9th St, Richmond, VA 23219  

WHO:

Bishop Carroll Baltimore, Immediate National Past President, PNBC, Lorton

Rich Cizik, New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good, Fredericksburg

Sr. Ilaria Buonriposi, Comboni Missionary Sisters, Richmond

Rev. Max Blalock, William & Mary Wesley Foundation, Williamsburg

Min. Paul Amrhein, St. Bridget Catholic Church, Richmond

Rev. Dr. Marc Boswell, Gayton Kirk Presbyterian Church, Richmond

Harold Wilson, Death Row Exoneree, Witness to Innocence

To view the complete list of signers, click here.

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