Sept. 9 (UPI) — Sister Helen Prejean and 130 religious leaders in California on Tuesday called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to commute the sentences for all of the state’s death row prisoners.
The call comes six years after the two-term Democratic governor issued a moratorium on the death penalty in California and it’s been nearly two decades since the state carried out an execution. Now, Prejean, a prominent anti-death penalty advocate, along with faith leaders representing a range of traditions from across the state have signed a letter urging Newsom “to take the next step” and effectively clear the country’s largest death row block.
“Such an action would not only save lives but also send a powerful message about California’s dedication to building a justice system rooted in equity, compassion, and the prevention of harm,” they wrote.
Prejean along with other faith leaders plan to hold a rally Thursday outside of San Francisco City Hall intended to press Newsom that will include LED candles representing each of the individuals currently on death row in California. The rally is scheduled to take place days before the San Francisco Opera will open Dead Man Walking, an opera based on Prejean’s memoir of the same name, 25 years after it premiered…