On Ash Wednesday, Clergy Lobby For Death Penalty Repeal

From Maryland-

Religious leaders from various faiths held a rally in Annapolis calling on lawmakers to repeal the death penalty.

In 2009, a Senate committee rejected a repeal backed by Governor Martin O'Malley, and instead passed legislation that would place further restrictions on death penalty prosecutions.

Rev. Eugene Taylor Sutton, the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland, believe that lawmakers can be convinced to change their minds and support a repeal. He noted many of the civil rights laws of the 1960's were passed after years of lobbying from religious leaders.

Sutton presented a letter to the governor and the General Assembly today signed by 200 religious leaders of various faiths calling for a repeal. He noted that repealing the death penalty is one of the few issues on which all religious leaders agree.

More here-

http://wbal.com/article/86983/21/template-story/On-Ash-Wednesday-Clergy-Lobby-For-Death-Penalty-Repeal