• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Texas bans all chaplains from entering execution chamber

TU Curmudgeon

TU Curmudgeon

B.A. (Sarc), LLb. (Lex Sarcasus), PhD (Sarc.)
DP Veteran
Joined
Mar 7, 2018
Messages
62,557
Reaction score
19,323
Location
Lower Mainland of BC
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Centrist
From United Press International


Texas bans all chaplains from entering execution chamber
​

April 3 (UPI) -- Texas officials on Wednesday banned any chaplain from entering the state's execution chambers less than one week after the Supreme Court stayed the lethal injection of an inmate prevented from having a Buddhist spiritual adviser with him.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice said changed its execution protocol directly in response to the high court ruling. Only security personnel may enter the execution chamber in future executions, TDCJ spokesman Jeremy Desel said in an email to UPI.

Under the new protocols, TDCJ chaplains will be available to the inmates until they are transferred to the execution chamber. Ministers and spiritual advisers also may observe executions from the witness rooms.

On March 29, the Supreme Court voted 7-2 to stay the execution of Patrick Murphy on the grounds of religious discrimination after the TDCJ prevented his spiritual adviser from being with him in the execution chamber. Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch voted against the stay.

COMMENT:-

When faced with having to make a choice between:


  1. granting the right to "spiritual solace" to one person; and
  2. denying it to many;


the Texas legislature made the wise, reasonable, and compassionate decision to go with Option 2.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight?
​
 
And the next condemned prisoner will claim "cruel and unusual" when his Christian pastor is denied entry. And we'll repeat the same song.
 
TU Curmudgeon said:
From United Press International


Texas bans all chaplains from entering execution chamber
​

April 3 (UPI) -- Texas officials on Wednesday banned any chaplain from entering the state's execution chambers less than one week after the Supreme Court stayed the lethal injection of an inmate prevented from having a Buddhist spiritual adviser with him.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice said changed its execution protocol directly in response to the high court ruling. Only security personnel may enter the execution chamber in future executions, TDCJ spokesman Jeremy Desel said in an email to UPI.

Under the new protocols, TDCJ chaplains will be available to the inmates until they are transferred to the execution chamber. Ministers and spiritual advisers also may observe executions from the witness rooms.

On March 29, the Supreme Court voted 7-2 to stay the execution of Patrick Murphy on the grounds of religious discrimination after the TDCJ prevented his spiritual adviser from being with him in the execution chamber. Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch voted against the stay.

COMMENT:-

When faced with having to make a choice between:


  1. granting the right to "spiritual solace" to one person; and
  2. denying it to many;


the Texas legislature made the wise, reasonable, and compassionate decision to go with Option 2.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight?
​
Click to expand...

Not good, but Texas tends to go its own way...

And the death penalty needs to be used much more sparingly.

And we need far fewer people in our prisons.
 
TU Curmudgeon said:
From United Press International


Texas bans all chaplains from entering execution chamber
​

April 3 (UPI) -- Texas officials on Wednesday banned any chaplain from entering the state's execution chambers less than one week after the Supreme Court stayed the lethal injection of an inmate prevented from having a Buddhist spiritual adviser with him.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice said changed its execution protocol directly in response to the high court ruling. Only security personnel may enter the execution chamber in future executions, TDCJ spokesman Jeremy Desel said in an email to UPI.

Under the new protocols, TDCJ chaplains will be available to the inmates until they are transferred to the execution chamber. Ministers and spiritual advisers also may observe executions from the witness rooms.

On March 29, the Supreme Court voted 7-2 to stay the execution of Patrick Murphy on the grounds of religious discrimination after the TDCJ prevented his spiritual adviser from being with him in the execution chamber. Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch voted against the stay.

COMMENT:-

When faced with having to make a choice between:


  1. granting the right to "spiritual solace" to one person; and
  2. denying it to many;


the Texas legislature made the wise, reasonable, and compassionate decision to go with Option 2.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight?
​
Click to expand...
What’s wrong with just having any religious leader in there?
 
TU Curmudgeon said:
From United Press International


Texas bans all chaplains from entering execution chamber
​

April 3 (UPI) -- Texas officials on Wednesday banned any chaplain from entering the state's execution chambers less than one week after the Supreme Court stayed the lethal injection of an inmate prevented from having a Buddhist spiritual adviser with him.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice said changed its execution protocol directly in response to the high court ruling. Only security personnel may enter the execution chamber in future executions, TDCJ spokesman Jeremy Desel said in an email to UPI.

Under the new protocols, TDCJ chaplains will be available to the inmates until they are transferred to the execution chamber. Ministers and spiritual advisers also may observe executions from the witness rooms.

On March 29, the Supreme Court voted 7-2 to stay the execution of Patrick Murphy on the grounds of religious discrimination after the TDCJ prevented his spiritual adviser from being with him in the execution chamber. Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch voted against the stay.

COMMENT:-

When faced with having to make a choice between:


  1. granting the right to "spiritual solace" to one person; and
  2. denying it to many;


the Texas legislature made the wise, reasonable, and compassionate decision to go with Option 2.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight?
​
Click to expand...

A clarification here. This is the TDJC policy. The state legislature was not involved.

A couple of other interesting points:

1) This brings the state in line with most others. Not allowing clergy is the norm.

2) The change is in line with the Appeal's court's opinion (adopt an all or none policy), but the stay of the lower court is still in effect that they can't execute THIS prisoner without his spiritual adviser. Apparently that means that they can't execute this person at all until the new policy is reviewed by the lower court.

I don't understand why they didn't allow this guy his adviser, then change the policy to match common practice, other than that they feel the appeal will be easier than dealing with a lawsuit by the next person. Or, they could have just let all advisers in, as this doesn't seem to be an issue.
 
Stealers Wheel said:
And the next condemned prisoner will claim "cruel and unusual" when his Christian pastor is denied entry. And we'll repeat the same song.
Click to expand...

Well, the US Supreme Court DID give two acceptable options and the Texas government DID adopt one of them.

PS - If you have concluded that I think that the Texas government picked the stupider of the two option, you would be correct.
 
MTAtech said:
What’s wrong with just having any religious leader in there?
Click to expand...

It was either "ALL" or "NONE". Both were acceptable to the US Supreme Court.

God has given us free will.

The Texas government used that God given free will and picked "NONE".

What God is going to have to say about how the Texas government used its God given free will the members of the Texas government will learn in due course.
 
dcsports said:
A clarification here. This is the TDJC policy. The state legislature was not involved.
Click to expand...

You are right. I should have said "Texas government" since the TDJC is a branch of the government of the state of Texas.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom