The Bishops of Washington issued a letter to WA Governor Jay Inslee at the time he announced a moratorium on all death sentences in 2015. A portion of the letter is read as follows:
“The people of Washington are confronted with unanswered questions regarding capital punishment...Is it fairly applied? Are innocent people executed? Are our motives revenge or safety? Is the punishment of death a cost effective means of ensuring public safety?...We hope this will lead to a fruitful discussion about the dignity of human life, help us find answers to the compelling questions surrounding the death penalty and eventually lead to abolishing the practice of executions in Washington State... [t]he real tragedy of criminal murders, however, is that there is no way to rebalance the scales of justice… and that taking a human life in the name of retribution does not breed justice or bring closure, but only continues the cycle of violence and hatred.”
