Faith leaders and a bipartisan group of lawmakers gathered Monday at the Statehouse to rally support for a measure to repeal Indiana鈥檚 death penalty.
鈥檚 author, Rep. Bob Morris (R-Fort Wayne), said there is growing support from his colleagues.
鈥淢any of my colleagues continue to come to my desk and stop by my office to continue to have a discussion of ending capital punishment.鈥�
Demetrius Minor is the national manager for Conservatives Concerned 鈥� a national anti-death penalty organization. He said the death penalty flies in the face of Republican values.
鈥淚f we don鈥檛 trust the government to deliver our mail on time, why would we 鈥� and I say this absent of any exaggeration 鈥� but why would we trust the government with our lives?鈥� Minor said.
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Minor said his position is driven by 鈥減ro-life鈥� values.
鈥淚t was with a conversation with my pastor in the early 2000s that I came to realize that being pro-life is about the totality of life, not just the origin of life,鈥� Minor said.
Archbishop Charles Thompson of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis said the Catholic Church has pushed for an end to capital punishment for nearly 60 years.
鈥淭he firm rejection of the death penalty shows us to what extent it is possible to recognize the inalienable dignity of every human being and to accept that he or she has a place in this universe,鈥� Thompson said. 鈥淚f I do not deny the dignity of the worst of criminals, I will not deny it to anyone.鈥�
The measure hasn鈥檛 received a committee hearing yet. But 15 House Democrats of Morris鈥檚 bill.
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