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Catholic lawmakers express mixed reaction to the governor's death sentence pardon issued at request of the Pope.

January 28, 1999
By: Phill Brooks
State Capital Bureau

Roman Catholics in Missouri's legislature are expressing mixed reaction to the governor's decision to honor a personal pea from the Pope to commute the sentence of a man on death row. Phill Brooks has the story from Jefferson City:

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Almost without exception, Catholic legislators expressed surprise..and even shock...at the governor's decision.

There was praise from anti-death penalty lawmakers. But from NOT from death-penalty supporters.

Some of the harshest criticism came from Senate Republican Leader Steve Ehlmann:

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Contents: [183K WAV file - The Senate GOP leader, Steve Ehlmann, questions the governor's decision to pardon a convicted killer who was the subject of the Pope's plea for mercy.]

But on the other side of the capital punishment debate, the chief lobbyist for the Missouri Catholic Conference suggested that the governor's decision may have provided an opportunity for the state to reexamine the whole issue of the death penalty.

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The chief lobbyist for the Catholic Church in Missouri was in the statehouse when he learned of the governor's decision to honor the Pope's request to commute the death sentence of a triple killer. Phill Brooks has the story from Jefferson City:
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Lou DeFeo is the both the general counsel and the chief lobbyist for Missouri's Catholic Conference.

Upon hearing about the governor's decision to honor the Pope's request, DeFeo expressed hope it was the start of a movement to restrict...if not totally repeal...capital punishment in Missouri:

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Contents: [155K WAV file - Lou Defeo, the chief lobbyist for the Missouri Catholic Conference says the governor's pardon of a convicted killer's death sentence provides some breathing room for the state to reconsider capital punishment.]

But Catholic legislators who have supported the death penalty said they had not changed their position. In fact, some even questioned the governor's pardon.

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