Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 7 augusT 2018
Death penalty decree could be quandary for U.S. politicians

By AMY FORLITI abolished it in 2015. He said thing they do.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Pope the pope's decree doesn't "The difficulty in that kind
Francis' decree that the change his stance. of reasoning by a judge
death penalty is "inadmis- "While I respect the Pope's should be obvious in that
sible" in all cases could perspective, capital pun- they are supposed to in-
pose a dilemma for Roman ishment remains the will of terpret the law as given to
Catholic politicians and the people and the law them," said Hamilton, who
judges in the United States of the State of Nebraska," clerked for former Supreme
who are faced with wheth- Ricketts said in a statement. Court Justice Sandra Day
er to strictly follow the te- "It is an important tool to O'Connor.
nets of their faith or the rule protect our corrections of- There might be more lee-
of law. ficers and public safety." way for politicians, who
Some Catholic leaders in The decree is also unlikely craft public policy accord-
death penalty states have to slow the nation's busiest ing to what they think is
said they'll continue to sup- death chamber in Texas, right. Still, she said, it would
port capital punishment. where Republican Gov. be inappropriate for a gov-
But experts say Francis' Greg Abbott — a devout ernor to block all death row
change could shift politi- Catholic — has previously penalty cases based on his
cal debates, loom over Su- said there was no conflict or her faith.
preme Court confirmation between his faith and sup- Louisiana Attorney Gen-
hearings, and make it dif- port for the death penalty. eral Jeff Landry, a Catho-
ficult for devout Catholic In this April 18, 2018, file photo, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts His spokeswoman did not lic and a Republican, said
judges to uphold the law as speaks at the legislature, in Lincoln, Neb. return messages about his support for the death
written. Associated Press whether the pope's state- penalty hasn't wavered. He
The question of whether or ment might shift Abbott's criticized the Pope's lead-
not Catholic political and the unjust aggressor." That allow the death penalty, view. The next execution in ership, saying Francis has
judicial leaders would be gave politicians a way to including Nebraska, where Texas is set for Sept. 12. a "socialist bent" and his
sinning if they continue to honor their faith and the the issue could soon be- The church's new teach- statement doesn't change
support the death penalty law. come front-and-center: ing will likely feature promi- church doctrine.
is up for interpretation. But on Thursday, the Vati- The state is scheduled to nently in the confirmation "He wants to comment on
"It's going to be a matter of can said Francis changed carry out an execution on process for Supreme Court the United States' judicial
conscience," said the Rev. church teaching to say Aug. 14, its first in more than nominee Brett Kavanaugh, system, a system that is by
Peter Clark, director of the capital punishment can two decades. who, if confirmed, would far the best, while ignoring
Institute of Clinical Bioethics never be sanctioned be- Sister Helen Prejean, the bring the total number of the problems of all the oth-
at St. Joseph's University in cause it constitutes an "at- anti-death penalty cam- Catholics on the bench to er judicial systems around
Philadelphia. "Judges may tack" on human dignity. paigner whose ministry to a five. One former Catholic the world," Landry said.
have to recuse themselves "In the past, it was accept- death row inmate inspired justice, the late Justice An- A spokesman for Louisiana
from many cases, if they able to say that the Catho- the book and film, "Dead tonin Scalia, famously said Gov. John Bel Edwards did
truly think it's in conflict with lic church had a position Man Walking," asked on he didn't find the death not return messages seek-
their conscience." that the death penalty was Twitter if Gov. Pete Ricketts, penalty immoral, and that ing comment. Edwards is
As with abortion, many acceptable in some cir- who she said has "pro-life any judge who did should also Catholic, and Landry
Catholic political lead- cumstances. That's no lon- values," would heed the resign. has speculated that the
ers and judges have been ger true now," said Marci pope's direction. Hamilton, the University governor has deliberately
grappling with the death Hamilton, a professor at the "If we say we are for dignity of Pennsylvania profes- dragged his feet on ex-
penalty for some time. University of Pennsylvania's of all life, that includes inno- sor, said the pope's de- ecutions: A judge recently
Previous church teachings Program for Research on cent and guilty as well," she cree could be difficult for barred Louisiana from car-
said capital punishment Religion. "I think it's going to told The Associated Press. the devout — especially rying out any death sen-
was allowed in some cases make it difficult for Catholic Ricketts, a Republican and in a climate where evan- tences until mid-2019, at
if it was the "only possible jurists to uphold the law as Catholic, worked to rein- gelicals and Catholics are Edwards' request, after the
way of effectively defend- written." state capital punishment increasingly arguing that governor cited trouble ob-
ing human lives against Thirty-one states in the U.S. in his state after lawmakers their faith controls every- taining lethal drugs.q

Congress watchdog: Border wall may cost more, take longer

By ELLIOTT SPAGAT cost per mile. The Govern- Customs and Border Pro- pendix to the GAO report, son, a Mississippi Demo-
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The ment Accountability Of- tection, an agency within said authorities are "follow- crat and ranking member
Trump administration's fice said costs can vary Homeland Security, "does ing best practices in evalu- of the House Homeland
plans to erect hundreds of considerably based on the not have complete in- ating costs, budget, and Security Committee who
miles of border barriers with slope and topography, formation to determine financial impact of border requested the report, said,
Mexico fails to adequately land acquisition costs and whether it is using lim- segments." He said finan- "In moving too fast, they
consider costs, a congres- other factors. ited resources in the most cial costs were considered have ignored necessary
sional watchdog agency Without more information, cost-effective manner after an operational as- and established acquisi-
said Monday, potentially the Department of Home- and does not have impor- sessment of where walls tions protocols and plan
raising the price and cre- land Security "faces an in- tant cost information that were most needed. to build a multibillion-dollar
ating delays. creased risk that the Border would help it develop fu- Katie Waldman, a Home- border wall where their
The administration has es- Wall System Program will ture budget requests," the land Security Department own analysis shows it is not
timated it will cost $18 bil- cost more than projected, report continues. spokeswoman, said walls a priority. To be blunt, this
lion for 722 miles (1162 kilo- take longer than planned, Homeland Security official have proven "extremely Administration has no clue
meters) of barriers but that or not fully perform as ex- Jim Crumpacker, in a re- effective." what it is doing and must
was based on an average pected," the GAO wrote. sponse included as an ap- U.S. Rep. Bennie Thomp- be held accountable."q