For pro-life nun, state's death penalty deserves execution

Star Ledger ^ | 12.12.05 | Bob Braun

[Coleus]

Sister Helen Prejean looks nothing like Susan Sarandon, the actress who played her in "Dead Man Walking," and that's good for New Jersey's death penalty opponents.

Prejean is no celebrity do-gooder, no rich friend of the poor, not the edgy sort who might make some politicians self-conscious among, and annoyed at, limousine liberals. She is as plain as the dark suits and white blouses she wears, one of the few hints, just looking at her, that she is a member of a Catholic order of nuns.

"I think New Jersey is going to be the leader in the country in finally ending the death penalty," she told an audience at Queen of Peace High School in North Arlington.

She didn't know when she arrived to share a buffet dinner with students and staff at the high school, but Prejean's lobbying early in the day in Trenton paid off. The Senate added a moratorium on executions to a bill calling for a study of the death penalty.

The nun worked the Statehouse hallways, carrying copies of her latest book, "The Death of Innocents," button-holing legislators, charming them with her Cajun-spiced "Hey, y'all," and confounding conservatives with her consistently pro-life position -- she wants to protect all life, unborn and innocent as well as breathing and guilty.

"It was difficult for anyone to blow her off," said Ed Martone, a member of the New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. The organization arranged months ago for Prejean to appear in New Jersey, long before anyone knew the Senate would be considering a vote on the moratorium on executions while she was here.

New Jersey is one of 38 states with the death penalty, although no one has been executed since 1963. Governors of two states -- Illinois and Maryland -- imposed

[Coleus]

NJ hasn't executed anyone in over 40 years and they paroled death-row-inmate tom trantino years ago yet the state leads the nation in teenage abortion but that's OK. The aborted babies have no due process, death-row inmates have due process and liberals and hollywood actors on thier side.

You never see reporters and editorial writers write about anti-abortion activists from the clergy or laity.

No Bias here.

[teenyelliott]

To me, the death penalty and abortion are two completely different arguments.

[CarlEOlsoniii]

It's a horribly worded title, as I first thought it meant that the nun deserved execution.

[GSlob]

The death penalty should be applied liberally. Extremely liberally.

[Blood of Tyrants]

To liberals, they are. To the person who recognizes that both involve the deliberate ending of a human life, the disticntion muddies a bit. I can respect those who do not believe that any life should be prematurely ended, but the kill-the-innocent-and-spare-the-murderers lunatics will get what they deserve one day.

[GSlob]

She probably does, if not for something she has done, then for something else she's about to do.

[Clintonfatigued]

I have to give the sister credit for consistancy. There are people of good concience who oppose artificially ending life under any circumstances, and regard abortion and execution as acts of murder. I do respect people who oppose the death penalty on those principals, even if I don't agree with them.

However, people who oppose the death penalty but support abortion under any circumstances, even partial birth abortion, are completely out of whack.

[Coleus]

Death penalty opponents lobby Trenton for repeal

These people weren't pros.

Unlike the career lobbyists who roam the State House, these common citizens packed hallways, crowded elevators and crammed into committee rooms in search of elected lawmakers.  Many didn't even know what bill number they were supposed to be supporting. Some of these one-day lobbyists had to stop and ask, "Are you a senator?"

But unlike the paid bill-wranglers, these men and women who came to Trenton on Thursday had a personal mission - shut down death row forever in New Jersey.  "Personal witness is always better than calling, writing letters or sending e-mails," said Sister Jean Amore of Paterson. "When you can tell somebody your story, that makes it a real opportunity to change someone's mind."  Thursday's citizen activists featured a father whose daughter was murdered, a man who spent 18 years in prison until DNA evidence freed him, and a nun whose life story became an acclaimed movie.

Sister Helen Prejean, the nationally known activist who detailed her death row ministry in the book "Dead Man Walking" - the movie was released in 1995, with Susan Sarandon portraying Dejean in an Oscar-winning turn - was the headline attraction. As she walked the halls, Prejean introduced herself to lawmakers, forcing them into impromptu meetings with her as they headed to committee hearings. She offered copies of her latest book and pressed them for support.

Sen. John Adler found himself face to face with Prejean as he tried to work his way to a hearing.

N.J. and the death penalty:

---

• Number of executions since 1976, when states began reinstating the death penalty: 0

• New Jersey executions before 1976: 361

• Current death row population: 14

• New Jersey death penalty law enacted: Aug. 6, 1982

• Why hasn't the death penalty been carried out? Lengthy appeals process; execution procedures still being revised.

  Source: Death Penalty Information Center Web site, deathpenaltyinfo.org

"Soon, sister, soon," Adler said, "we'll get this done."  Death penalty opponents are gathering political support unprecedented since the Legislature legalized executions in 1982. Many lawmakers now support halting executions while the state studies the system that has not sent anyone to die despite 23 years of legal review.  Some legislators are even saying the law should be repealed and that New Jersey's ultimate penalty be life in prison with no chance for parole.

Acting Governor Codey, meanwhile, "has said publicly that he is open to a moratorium while the application of the death penalty in New Jersey is studied. However, he does not support an outright repeal at this time," spokeswoman Kelley Heck said.  Death penalty opponents will have an ally in the next governor as well. Governor-elect Jon Corzine opposes the death penalty and is reviewing the moratorium issue, spokeswoman Ivette Mendez said.

Even the state Supreme Court might be willing to reconsider the issue.  In 2002, Associate Justice Virginia Long suggested in a strongly worded dissenting opinion that public attitudes about the death penalty have changed so much since the death penalty law was written that the Legislature might consider it time to review the law itself.

But not all lawmakers are willing to consider an end to death sentences, even after a visit from Sister Helen. These legislators say the state needs an ultimate penalty for society's most brutal crimes.   "She's an extremely sincere person and has deeply held beliefs that we should not be putting people on death row," said Sen. Gerald Cardinale, R-Demarest. "I have no argument holding that position. [But] I don't think that's the right thing to do with the perspective of crime. I think we are extremely lenient with crime in this country."

Death penalty opponents, however, say there is a growing grass-roots support for change in New Jersey.  "The groundwork here is good," Prejean said. "I think that politicians are learning that you don't get any leverage out of supporting the death penalty."  They have made their case throughout the state, pressing the issue on several levels, she said. "What's been going on in New Jersey is education, education, education," Prejean said.  Prejean dismissed critics who say New Jersey should leave well enough alone as the state has not executed anyone since 1963.  "Anyone who says that has no comprehension of what it means to take a conscious human being and let him sit on death row for 17 years," she said.

For now, New Jersey can't execute anyone because of a state appeals court ruling last year. Judges sided with death penalty opponents and ordered corrections officials to rewrite execution regulations. The court said doctors should be on hand in the event a sentence is overturned on appeal after a lethal injection is administered.  Death penalty opponents fear that once the regulations are rewritten, one of the 14 inmates on death row will be executed. Several have exhausted state and federal appeals.  "The majority of the people now are rethinking the death penalty as far as whether it's a deterrent and also whether it's fair and just. More people are concerned now that they may make a mistake and execute an innocent person," said Sen. Shirley Turner, D-Mercer, who sponsored the moratorium bill.

Those in favor of the moratorium also point to a recent study that said that by scrapping the death penalty, the state could save nearly $250 million by eliminating the lengthy appeals process.  "Look what we could do with all that money that we would save. We could do a lot with fighting those elements that contribute to crime," Turner said.  In six years, the group New Jerseyans for a Death Penalty Moratorium has grown to 10,000 members and hired a paid staff of five to work on the effort, said the group's executive director, Celeste Fitzgerald. Three of the five staff members have had family members murdered, she said.  "People come to the issue for many different reasons." she said. "Nearly all are driven by the fact that there are innocent people on death row. Others are simply against it because the process is so terribly harsh for the families of victims."

Eddie Hicks agrees. Five years ago, his daughter Jamilla, 26, was murdered after she tried to break up a fight between her brother and another man. That man killed her, Hicks said. The defendant was not sentenced to death, but prosecutors considered it, he said.  "To have the state kill somebody and then say that killing is wrong doesn't make sense," said Hicks, of Atlantic County. "Violence isn't the solution to any problem."  Larry Peterson isn't on death row, but he was telling lawmakers his story Thursday. Eighteen years ago, a jury decided against the death penalty for Peterson and sentenced him to life in prison for killing a Burlington County woman.  In July, Peterson became the first person in New Jersey to have his conviction overturned by DNA evidence.  "It's just a privilege to be here," Peterson said. "I'm just grateful, blessed to be able to be here."

[beaver fever]

"To me, the death penalty and abortion are two completely different arguments."

A close born again Christian friend of mine who is anti abortion asked me about the death penalty and I answered that a person could not call themselves a Christian and be in favor of the death penalty.

He did not agree but he also did not disagree.

I find, state sponsored death by any means, abortion or the death penalty to be an abomination.

It's nice to know one nun agrees.

[teenyelliott]

I am no liberal. I understand that there is no way to comprehend how someone can justify the killing of babies but wants to spare murderers.

But the arguments, for me, as to why the death penalty is a good thing, have nothing to do with why abortion is a bad thing.

If you are trying to argue for the death penalty, bringing in abortion weakens the argument. They are their own discussions.

Even if there was no such thing as abortion, the death penalty would still be a good thing. That is what I mean when I say one thing has nothing to do with the other.

The arguments for having the death penalty and making abortion illegal stand on their own merits, without "muddying the waters".

[nj26]

Between our Democrat governor, our Democrat-controlled Legislature, and a state supreme court full of liberal activist judges, rest assured that nobody is going to be executed anytime soon in New Jersey, no matter how guilty they are.

[teenyelliott]

I completely understand your point of view, and respect it.

I believe that the death penalty guarantees that that particular murderer will never harm anyone again.

The recidivism rate for executed felons is zero. And I like that.

[TASMANIANRED]

Liberals want to execute the innocent and glamorize the guilty.

[beaver fever]

The only problem with a life sentence is that it is rarely for live.

If you are anti death penalty then you should be pro live with no parole.

My position is no death penalty but life is life.

[Blood of Tyrants]

No, I am simply pointing out that to some ALL life is to precious to end. As I said, I can respect that opinion. I realize that for MOST people, the two have nothing in common. Even a Catholic nun will have to admit that God instituted the death penalty, not man.

[teenyelliott]

I don't agree with spending tax money to let someone who murders other human beings sit around and eat, watch t.v., get medical care, get degrees, etc.

Even if it costs twice as much to execute a man as it does to keep them in prison, I would still vote for the death penalty.

Spending money to keep a murderer healthy is an abomination to me.

[teenyelliott]

I can respect that opinion, too. But when I look at someone like Tookie, or Dahmer, or any one of those men, I just cannot understand how someone can have sympathy for them.

[Blood of Tyrants]

I have no pity for cold bloded murderers. If they held a lottery to allow private citizens to be on a firing squad, I would pay my own way and bring my own gun and ammo.

[beaver fever]

OK, I'm not being a softy on murderers but there have been many cases where convicted murders have been exonerated by DNA evidence that wasn't available when they were convicted.

Also I don't agree that state sponsored executions should be decided on economics.

If you found yourself in a position where you were convicted of a murder because you were in the wrong place at the right time but were innocent, would the price of your incarceration figure into your defense?

I think in such a case you would seek every available remedy.

BTW don't 'Tookie' me. Tookie was guilty and Arny had no choice but to allow the execution to take place. But that is the law. Tookie could have served life WOP and the requirement of public safety would have been served.

Plus his communications with anyone other than his lawyers should have been curtailed. Including publishers.

[Flux Capacitor]

Sister Helen Prejean is a pious, well-meaning, oh-so-holy, celebrity-schmoozing, absolute fool (rhymes with "tool"). Like most other nuns anywhere and everywhere, she doesn't live in the real world and therefore has no grasp whatsoever of the real-world consequences of her do-gooder bullshit.

Ol' Sis owes her worldwide fame to her championing of rapists and murderers at the expense of their victims' families and friends. This woman is a disgusting bitch and her "work" is the most deplorable type of blind inhumanity. Go to hell, Helen.

-Dan