| have this "I was glad to see that SB 63 finally got a hearing. | believe that the information covered is
essential to abolishing the death penalty but there is still a lot more that needs to be covered." Dwight
Haggard, Senior Central High School.
| was impressed with the thoroughness of all three experts. They really brought home how useless and
expensive the death penalty is, particularly at a time when our resources need to be directed at real
problems. | very much wanted to hear the others who had signed up to speak and to have time to take
questions. | was impressed with how useful "Skype" technology is to bring in others live from around the
country.
Ray Schweri (MVFR member)
Fr. Pat, These are my thoughts regarding last Thursday. Sharon Schuhmann
The hearing on Senate Bill 63 to abolish the death penalty was an historical hour for the
Commonwealth of Kentucky. What impressed me the most was the factual information
presented about the enormous expense and complexity surrounding capital punishment.
I witnessed our elected officials hearing the issues of racism, wrongful convictions, and the
dysfunctional system of prosecuting death penalty cases. I was grateful that our system of
government provided the process for a hearing on the issue of capital punishment. Hopefully this
is the first step toward replacing the death penalty with life imprisonment.
My thoughts were about the lack of serious interest and response by senators who cared so little
about other thoughts as well as to facts that were developed with legal research by three different
and independent authorities sincere and honest beyond doubt.
| also felt seriously regretful that the public, or so few of the public, will see, hear or know the thoughts the
sincere and informed speakers shared.
| should be our goal to spread their ideas far and wide!!!
- don pratt
Last Thursday’s hearing on SB 63 exemplifies the sort of work
Christians are all called to do. The politically charged
atmosphere, surrounding religious freedom, could make it
easer for believers to do nothing. As Christians’, we are called
to differentiate between an intellectual construct of faith,
passivity, and to that of a faith that is in communion with
Christ: action.
Thirty years ago the prospect of a bill to abolish the death
penalty was unfathomable. The recent progress, a committee
hearing, we experienced is due, in large part, to a sustained faith,
that calls us to action. I was very honored and proud to have
witnessed a historic moment in the evolution of the death
penalty in the state of Kentucky.
Deacon Keith McKenzie
St Augustine Parish
Louisville Kentucky
Last week | attended a hearing covering the subject of the Death Penalty and its use in the state of
Kentucky. Upon research over the past year, | am now in favor of abolition of the death penalty in the
state of Kentucky. While still recovering from a recession we need to save wherever we can and the
death penalty is only getting costlier every year. There is no reason to pay for a broken system that we
do not even use.-Jason jewell, Central High School student.
The fact that we had a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee on this bill was vastly important — the
first step that has been poised for years by Senator Neal and other abolitionist legislators. Chairman
Jensen was gracious and attentive but | was really disappointed that co-chair Katie Stine came late, was
obviously distracted throughout the testimony and left early — three indicators of distain not only for the
content of the bill but for the process of committee hearings.
Sr Dorothy Schuette
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