Death Penalty News

The world’s most famous living nun on fighting the death penalty for over 40 years, “Dead Man Walking,” faith, compassion for killers, regret, fame, Taylor Swift, opera—and Scotch. There was a moment of silence as Sister Helen Prejean pondered being described as a pop culture icon. Then she let out a hoot of laughter. “What does that even mean?” she said in her raspy Southern drawl. “I don’t know what that means!” Well, it means the fame that her 1993 book and 1995 movie Dead Man Walking has brought her (Susan Sarandon won an Oscar for her role as Prejean); Jake Heggie’s opera of the same name now playing at the Met in New York (until Oct. 21); the fact she, a nun at 84, is still fighting determinedly—after accompanying six felons to the execution chamber—to rid America of the death penalty.

Japan is considering exempting Australian soldiers from the death penalty for crimes committed during joint drills on its soil after the issue of capital punishment stalled negotiations for a defense cooperation pact between the 2 countries, government sources said Saturday. Australia, which abolished the death penalty in 1985, has been concerned that its defense personnel could be sentenced to death over crimes committed in Japan, according to the sources. Tokyo and Canberra are coordinating to have their respective countries maintain jurisdiction of their troops only when holding joint exercises and other operations, meaning when troops are off duty, they would come under the jurisdiction of the host country. According to Amnesty International, 108 nations have outlawed the death penalty for all crimes as of the end of 2020, while 144, or more than 2/3 of the world's countries, have abolished it in law or practice. Japan and the United States are among the countries that maintain...