Capital punishment has been used in the United States since its independence from the United Kingdom and is still applied in many of the 50 states today, with most executions in Texas, Virginia, Georgia, and Alabama. Over time, advocates have agreed that the death penalty is morally wrong and they argued that it should be considered unconstitutional, yet they have not achieved an end to capital punishment in either state legislatures or in the Supreme Court.1
During the 1700’s, advocates against the death penalty were able to restrict this punishment to those committed heinous crimes. In 1847, the anti-death penalty community helped capital punishment to be removed from Michigan. This was changed after World War I ended. In 1924, the state of Nevada decided to use lethal gas as an execution process. Then came the execution of Gee Jon for murder, which brought back death as the punishment for inflicting death or murder. 2 Anti-death penalty movements did not regain strength until Sister Helen Prejean helped to cast the debate in different terms.
Since 1981, Sister Helen Prejean has been a strong voice, and a most prominent one in the anti-death penalty community. Most humans and governments will not heed God’s commandment Thou Shall not Kill, but Sister Prejean became a strong advocate for that commandment. Beyond the religious imperative, Prejean explains how capital punishment is not useful in any way and is very dysfunctional. She has dedicated her life to God in the prison ministry in New Orleans. While Sister Prejean was living in the St. Thomas housing project, she began to write to a man who was convicted of killing two teenagers, Patrick Sonnier. Sonnier was to be executed by the electric chair in the State Prison of Louisiana.3
While Sister Prejean continuously visited Sonnier, she realized that executions were a huge issue, not only in Louisiana, but around the world. Sister Prejean wrote about her experiences in the book she wrote Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty.4 She writes and explains how Louisiana’s prison system corrupts those who are involved with carrying out the execution. Especially security guards or “prison wardens” are not alert when working, along with working in that environment, is the feeling of being stressed. The stress can cause them to react in a certain ways toward prisoners and even accept the death penalty against them.5 Prejean mentions how many politicians support the death penalty mainly because they do not want to be mocked for being weak on crime by having an anti-death penalty stance.6
Helen Prejean during these times took the initiative to spend time with the victims’ families and understand why the death penalty is a win for them. The reason the victims’ families believe this is a pro for them is because it is “healing” and they receive “faux closure”. During those fifteen years, she continued to witness five other executions in Louisiana and to this day gives the younger generation information on the death penalty by writing and giving lectures.7
Prejean always took the anti-death penalty to the political system and even caused a few battles with some victories that were not big, but in that time it was still something to her. She did everything she could to gain justice, but the movement ultimately could not completely end capital punishment in the US.8
Prejean did her best to abolish the death penalty and she always gave many reasons for it, but with the issues coming against the fear of criminals and the devaluation of human lives, it is still unlikely to see its eradication in the US. Today, Prejean as the founder of “Survive” runs this victim’s advocacy group in New Orleans. In addition to that, she counsels inmates who are on death row and she provides support to the families of victims who were murdered.
Barry Scheck’s Innocence Project helps those who are innocent to increase awareness and prevent execution. Prejean has received an award from the Innocence Project of Florida for her outstanding work in advocating against the death penalty. “Sister Helen asked…”, during her speech, “…but what about the people advocating and fighting for them and the people working at innocence projects?”.9
No matter the outcome, fighting for what is morally right continues to drive advocates who stand against the death penalty. Prejean will continue to investigate flaws in the death penalty system which has led to many innocents being wrongly executed. Sister Prejean questions the justice system because of the discriminatory way that capital punishment is disproportionately applied to minorities. As she continues, there is still hope in Washington for the Death Penalty to be removed. Senator Miloscia warns against the killing of innocent people, he calls these “improper death penalty executions.”10 Although many still support the death penalty, change occurs when new elected officials like Governor Inslee pronounce themselves against capital punishment. As we learned from Sister Prejean, fighting for justice is a moral commandment.
- George Brauchler and Rich Orman, “Lies, Damn Lies, and Anti-Death Penalty Research,” 93, no. 3 (2005): 635-714. ↵
- McLaughlin, Jolie. “The Price of Justice: Interest-Convergence, Cost, and The Anti-Death Penalty Movement,” Northwestern University Law Review,108, no. 2 (2014): 675-710. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost. ↵
- “Biography” Sister Helen Prejean. https://www.sisterhelen.org/biography/.(2018). ↵
- Helen Prejean, Dead man walking: an eyewitness account of the death penalty in the United States, (New York: Vintage Books, (1994). ↵
- Lewis, Dorothy Otnow, Catherine A. Yeager, Pamela Blake, Barbara Bard, and Maren Strenziok. “Ethics Questions Raised by the Neuropsychiatric, Neuropsychological, Educational, Developmental, and Family Characteristics of 18 Juveniles Awaiting Execution in Texas.” Journal Of The American Academy Of Psychiatry And The Law, 32. No.4 (2004): 408-429 PsycINFO, EBSCOhost. ↵
- Daniels, Kristen Whitney. “Helen Prejean sways hearts with stories.” National Catholic Reporter 53(24), (2017): 1a-2a. ↵
- Press Release. “Innocence: Another Exoneration from Death Row—Reginald Griffin of Missouri,.” Death Penalty Information Center. (2015). ↵
- Mallory, Conally. “Abolitionists at home and abroad: a right to consular assistance and the death penatly.” Melbourne Journal Of International Law no. 1 (2016). ↵
- De La Fuenta, Alejandra. “My Experience at Innocence Project of Florida’s 2016 Steppin’Out Spring Gala.” Plain Error: The Official Blog of The Innocence Project of Florida. (2016) ↵
- Lauren Gill, “End of the Death Penalty? Washington Could Become the Next State to Abolish Capital Punishment” Newsweek, (2018). ↵
121 comments
Enrique Segovia
Sister Helen Prejean advocated the abolishment of the capital punishment- also known as the death penalty. I respect all her efforts and that she dedicated an immense part of her life to end the death penalty. However, I do not fully support her. As the Bible says, “an eye for an eye”; hence, I consider that if someone murders someone else, he or she must face the same destiny as his or her victim. Anyhow, I do not fully advocate this either, but maybe being lenient is the solution sometimes, just to give a second opportunity to see if people can change their ways of being- for example a life-long sentence or solitary confinement, instead of capital punishment. This is consequence of the commandment which says, “Thou shalt not kill”, so, I am stuck between what to advocate in this case.
Nathan Alba
This is probably one of the biggest moral dilemmas in today’s society (along with abortion), but it is a commandment. Who are we to end the life of another person. However it’s hard to feel sympathy for a killer when that person has in fact killed someone close to you. So should we subject them to our judgement? Or should we forgive them? I guess only people who have been immediately affected by this type of situation can give make an argument for what they feel right.
Lynsey Mott
This article is very informative about Sister Helen Prejean and how against the death penalty she is. The death penalty is one of the most difficult discussions that I think are being discussed right now. I always say, you shouldn’t kill anyone, no matter what they do. But then thinking if someone killed one of my family members, I would want justice for that, but I wouldn’t know what kind of justice. I think how Sister Helen is going to the inmates and getting their side of the story and then going to the victims, is something I couldn’t do. I don’t think I could stomach either story.
Antoinette Johnson
The death penalty is one of the most controversial and argued topics in the world. I agree with Sister Helen Prejean. The justice system needs to get rid of the death penalty. There are many innocent lives that are taken because of it. It is morally wrong “Thou shall not kill.” How can we the justice system arrest and kill those criminals for murder and they are doing the same thing. Murdering someone for murdering someone is just a continuous cycle of violence. It is going to take a long while for the death penalty to go away if it does because it’s a norm now and there are so many people who agree with it.
Eric Ortega Rodriguez
This is very informative. The author also did a very good job of handling this controversial topic and inform the audience of Sister Helen Prejean and her advocacy against the death penalty. I think this topic will always be controversial due to its involvement with religion, politics, economy, and more. However, reading about Sister Helen Prejean was amazing. She is truly a role model who is fighting for what she believes in. I found it admirable that Prejean would go visit inmates and the family of victims to get both sides of the argument. She is truly someone to look up to because she is fighting for something she believes in.
Miguel Rivera
You have to stop and think about what if it were your loved one or close relative that was killed? Or what if it’s your loved one being executed to death, but he or she was innocent? I can’t imagine how it feels losing somebody to a horrible crime, but I believe that some of us in the society feel that it is right to kill someone who has killed. Sister Helen Prejean follows a commandment that is close to her heart, and while she advocates for those who have broken that rule, she understands that the saying “an eye for an eye” is not something that we should include in our lives.
Gabrien Gregory
I always find it interesting when Catholics and Christians, people of faith, support the death penalty. To me, the concept “thou shalt not kill” is cut and dry. I appreciate this article shining light on Sister Helen Prejean’s efforts on this issue in the United States. I have read some more information in the past regarding the death penalty and its psycholgical impact on the American society – I would add those findings in the study to back up how morally wrong capital punishment is. A society with a death penalty is known to not only be immoral to many and raise expenses, but it also increases the positive mentality for crime and murder, as studies show.
Victoria Rodriguez
This is a very powerful article. Questioning the morality of the death penalty for those who have committed heinous crimes is controversial. I believe that the answer lies within whether one believes that after committing a crime if a person can become better and if others can forgive. However, the death penalty as a punishment had been misused in the past and how can one human being judge another and sentence him/her to death? The article does a great job of exploring the idea and Sister’s history of protesting it.
Natalie Juarez
What an interesting read on such a controversial topic. I appreciate that you included the selfless work of Sister Helen Prejean with grace by highlighting her advocacy against the death penalty in a non-biased way. Her selflessness goes to show by not excluding anyone and by recognizing people and their human dignity. The fact that she provides support for both the families of the victims but doesn’t forget to provide support for the inmates on death row tells me that she fights for justice in many forms.
Alexandra Lopez
The death penalty has been a controversial issue since the beginning of this nation. From the perspective of either moral, religious, or legal the question on whether it is right or wrong has been difficult. The author of this article did not make any comment on her belief but focused on the main subject and shared Sister Prejean’s goals for this country on the death penalty.