Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

03/22/05

A new poll showing that Catholics are backing off support for the death penalty was no surprise to U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, an outspoken conservative Catholic, who says he has been re-examining his own view. He has not become an abolitionist, and he believes church teaching against the death penalty carries less weight than its longer-standing opposition to abortion. But he questions what he once unquestioningly supported. 'I felt very troubled about cases where someone may have been convicted wrongly. DNA evidence definitely should be used when possible,' he said. 'I agree with the pope that in the civilized world ... the application of the death penalty should be limited. I would definitely agree with that. I would certainly suggest there probably should be some further limits on what we use it for.' He spoke in a brief phone interview after the U.S. Catholic bishops launched a renewed push against the death penalty...

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05081/475366.stm


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp