Death Penalty

United Methodists in Maryland are urged to contact their state legislators immediately to thwart an effort to reinstate the death penalty.

The U.S. Supreme Court declared a moratorium on the death penalty in 1972 after finding that the statutes were written and applied in an arbitrary manner. In 1976 the court reinstated the death penalty, declaring that the problems had been resolved.

Current research disputes this assertion. In fact, human error and racial disparity continue to mar the system.

Despite the best intentions and a sincere work ethic, police, prosecutors, judges and juries sometimes err and convict innocent people. In 1985 here in Maryland, Kirk Bloodsworth was sentenced to die and spent almost nine years in prison for a rape and murder he did not commit. In 1993 DNA testing conclusively proved his innocence. In 2003 the true perpetrator, who was already in prison, was discovered.

Kirk Bloodsworth was sentenced to die and spent almost nine years in prison for a rape and murder he did not commit.

A 2001 University of Maryland study shows ongoing racial and geographical disparity in sentencing. Prosecutors are twice as likely to seek death when the defendant is black and the victim is white. Between 75% and 80% of murder victims in Maryland are black, yet every person on death row and every person executed since 1978 was convicted of killing a white person.

Add to this the fact that Baltimore County with 6% of the state’s annual homicides is 13 times more likely to prosecute a death-eligible crime capitally than is Baltimore City, where most homicides occur.

Because innocent people are sentenced to death and because there is documented racial and geographical bias, everyone should question the propriety of a death penalty.

Because innocent people are sentenced to death and because there is documented racial and geographical bias, everyone should question the propriety of a death penalty.

As United Methodists, we also must consider a faith-based response. Is the implementation of a death penalty consistent with the teachings of Christ? Jesus challenged us to love our neighbors, and to love even our enemies. He forgave and admonished his followers to forgive others. For Jesus, no person was beyond redemption.

As the United Methodist Book of Discipline states: "The death penalty denies the power of Christ to redeem, restore and transform all human beings” [therefore] we oppose the death penalty (capital punishment) and urge its elimination from all criminal codes." (BOD 164-G)

Death penalty antithetical to New Testament

For United Methodists, a death penalty is antithetical to the New Testament message. Therefore, as our state seeks to punish perpetrators of heinous crimes and as it works to protect society from those who may do harm, we as Christians must consider a higher calling. We must challenge the people of our state to reach these appropriate goals of punishment and protection without responding to violence with violence.

Last year Maryland came close to repealing its death penalty and replacing it with life without parole. Repeal legislation stalled in the Senate Judicial Proceedings committee, however, after a 5-5 vote failed to pass the bill onto the Senate Floor.

This year, while there is growing support in the General Assembly, repeal votes in the Senate Committee are lacking. For this reason people opposed to the death penalty, including United Methodists, must send a clear message in support of a repeal to their state legislators.

It is especially important for laypersons, ministers and congregations in Towson, Lutherville, Timonium and Ruxton to contact their Senator Brochin.

People who live in Frederick need to send a clear message to Senator Mooney.

Take action now

The Senate hearing is imminent so please take action now. Send e-mail to your state legislators today. Urge them to vote for HB1328 and SB645. Send this message:

"As a United Methodist who believes that the death penalty is inconsistent with our values and with effective law enforcement, I urge you to vote in favor of HB1328, SB645."

There is documented racial and geographic bias in Maryland death sentencing: Skin color and county lines should not determine who lives and who dies.

We make mistakes and innocent people get sentenced to death: Nationally 127 people have been released from death rows after being found innocent; in Maryland, Kirk Bloodsworth was sentenced to death and spent almost nine years in prison for a murder he did not commit.

The death penalty is not a deterrent. In fact, states that have and consistently use the death penalty tend to have the highest murder rates.

The death penalty is expensive: Every cost study ever done has found that capital punishment is a far bigger drain on financial and human resources than is a system with life without parole.

Call

For additional information, including a list of lawmakers who co-sponsored the repeal legislation, go to www.mdcase.org. If you would like more information on where your lawmakers stand on the death penalty, call (301) 779-5230. Please consider letting Maryland Citizens Against State Executions (MDCASE) know when a legislator responds so they can keep an accurate vote count.

Editor’s Note: Beth Reilly, United Methodist layperson from Frederick, Md., prepared this call for action with the assistance of Sara Klemm from MDCASE.