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U.S. | 'I comfort death row inmates in their final moments - the execution room is like a house of horrors'

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Reverend Jeff Hood, 40, wants to help condemned inmates 'feel human again' and vows to continue his efforts to befriend murderers in spite of death threats against his family A reverend who has made it his mission to comfort death row inmates in their final days has revealed the '"moral torture" his endeavor entails. Reverend Dr. Jeff Hood, 40, lives with his wife and five children in Little Rock, Arkansas. But away from his normal home life, he can suddenly find himself holding the shoulder of a murderer inside an execution chamber, moments away from the end of their life. 

Virginia: Execution Alert

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On May 27th, yet another execution is scheduled to occur in Virginia. If the scheduled execution of Kevin Green takes place that day, it would be the 99th in our Commonwealth since 1976 (second only to Texas).

With executions proceeding at an alarming rate in our state (an additional one is scheduled for June 10th), the Virginia bishops continue their appeal to end the use of the death penalty. They are joined by the U.S. bishops and the Vatican (whose regular practice is to send Governors across the U.S. commutation requests via the Papal Nuncio).

Kevin Green's case also presents an additional concern. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that it is unconstitutional to execute someone who is "mentally retarded," and significant evidence suggests that Mr. Green does indeed have an intellectual disability. Although courts have concluded that he is not mentally retarded, the court that took the closest look at his mental retardation claim found it "an extremely close and difficult" case. Mr. Green has the IQ of a mentally retarded individual, repeated three years of elementary school, and has never even learned to tie his shoes.

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U.S. | 'I comfort death row inmates in their final moments - the execution room is like a house of horrors'

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Reverend Jeff Hood, 40, wants to help condemned inmates 'feel human again' and vows to continue his efforts to befriend murderers in spite of death threats against his family A reverend who has made it his mission to comfort death row inmates in their final days has revealed the '"moral torture" his endeavor entails. Reverend Dr. Jeff Hood, 40, lives with his wife and five children in Little Rock, Arkansas. But away from his normal home life, he can suddenly find himself holding the shoulder of a murderer inside an execution chamber, moments away from the end of their life. 
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