Posted on Mar 25, 2022
Supreme Court backs a prisoner who sought his pastor's touch at the time of execution
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https://www.npr.org/2022/03/24/ [login to see] /supreme-court-backs-a-prisoner-who-sought-his-pastors-touch-at-the-time-of-execu
The U.S. Supreme ruled Thursday that condemned prisoners are entitled to have religious advisers present in the death chamber to pray over them and touch them in a limited way.
The decision came in the case of John Henry Ramirez, convicted in the brutal murder of Pablo Castro, a father of nine, who was stabbed to death as he was closing up the convenience store where he worked.
The court's decision was the latest and by far the most definitive in a series of cases that have come to to the court, dividing the justices and even embarrassing them at times with contradictory rulings that appeared to be more favorable for Christian spiritual advisers than for minority religions.
Thursday's ruling, however, was clear, and close to unanimous, with only Justice Clarence Thomas in dissent.
Writing for the court majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said that when Texas denied a request from death row inmate Ramirez to have his Baptist minister present in the death chamber to pray over him and touch him, it likely violated a federal law. The law, called the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons act, RLUIPA, is aimed at protecting the religious rights of people confined to prisons and other institutions.
The U.S. Supreme ruled Thursday that condemned prisoners are entitled to have religious advisers present in the death chamber to pray over them and touch them in a limited way.
The decision came in the case of John Henry Ramirez, convicted in the brutal murder of Pablo Castro, a father of nine, who was stabbed to death as he was closing up the convenience store where he worked.
The court's decision was the latest and by far the most definitive in a series of cases that have come to to the court, dividing the justices and even embarrassing them at times with contradictory rulings that appeared to be more favorable for Christian spiritual advisers than for minority religions.
Thursday's ruling, however, was clear, and close to unanimous, with only Justice Clarence Thomas in dissent.
Writing for the court majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said that when Texas denied a request from death row inmate Ramirez to have his Baptist minister present in the death chamber to pray over him and touch him, it likely violated a federal law. The law, called the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons act, RLUIPA, is aimed at protecting the religious rights of people confined to prisons and other institutions.
Supreme Court backs a prisoner who sought his pastor's touch at the time of execution
Posted from npr.org
Religion
Supreme Court
Punishment
Crime
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 2
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel I don't see what the harm is in having a pastor with a prisoner when they are executed. Why did this even have to go to the Supreme Court? As far as touching the prisoner when the execution is taking place, I guess that is ok as long as it isn't execution by electricity!
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SrA John Monette
I think it went to the Supreme Court because Texas continues to want to play Billy BadAss and treat criminals like garbage, depriving them of rights that we outside of prison take for granted. Other states and the federal prisons allowed this, but Texas wasn't going to without being forced to. I don't see what the harm is either. If it helps keep the prisoner in a fairly good place, then let it happen. We give the condemned their last meal of their choosing (within reason). Why not let a minister or other clergy attend to them?
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Cpl Vic Burk
SrA John Monette - Exactly Brother! It was a waste of taxpayer dollars and took up the time of the Supreme Court when they knew it was the right thing to do all along.
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