MEDIA ADVISORY
November 26, 2012
CONTACT: Kristin Houlé, Executive Director
512-441-1808 (office); 512-552-5948 (cell)
khoule@tcadp.org
Death Penalty Dialogue to Feature Dallas Faith Leaders
Austin, Texas – On Tuesday, December 4, 2012, four prominent Dallas-area religious leaders will gather for the first time to participate in a public conversation about the death penalty. The event, entitled “A Faithful Conversation on the Death Penalty with Dallas Faith Leaders”, will take place from 7:00 to 9:00 PM in the Grand Lounge at Paul Quinn College. It is free and open to the public.
Participating in the event are these faith leaders:
- Dr. Frederick D. Haynes, III Senior Pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church
- Rev. Dr. Wes Magruder, Chair of the Board of Church and Society of the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church
- Rev. Stanley J. Meyer, Bishop Assistant for Leadership and Disciple Life in the Northern Texas – Northern Louisiana Mission Area of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Deacon Charles Stump, Director of Pastoral Services for the Catholic Diocese of Dallas
Their conversation will focus on the challenges of moving Texas away from a culture of vengeance toward a culture of accountability that does not rely on the death penalty; how faith leaders and people of faith can take a more proactive role in educating their congregations about this issue; and the challenges of addressing the death penalty from the pulpit.
This event is occurring at a critical time, as Dallas County now accounts for more death sentences in the last five years than any other jurisdiction in Texas. Juries in Dallas County imposed eight new death sentences between 2008 and 2012, including two this year. This accounts for nearly 20% of all new death sentences in Texas over this five-year period. In comparison, Harris County juries imposed 5 sentences in the same timeframe. Dallas also accounts for more than 30 exonerations based on DNA evidence.
WHAT: “A Faithful Conversation on the Death Penalty with Dallas Faith Leaders”
WHEN: Tuesday, December 4, 2012, 7:00 to 9:00 PM
WHERE: Grand Lounge, Paul Quinn College; 3837 Simpson Stuart Road; Dallas, Texas 75241
“A Faithful Conversation on the Death Penalty” is free and open to the public. To RSVP, call (512) 441-1808, email info@tcadp.org, or go to https://tcadp.org/faithful-conversation/.
This event is sponsored by: Catholic Mobilizing Network; Citizens of Mizpah; Dallas Friends Meeting; Dallas Peace Center; Friendship-West Baptist Church; General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church; Murder Victims’ Families for Reconciliation; North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church Board of Church and Society; Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Mission Area of the E.L.C.A.; Pax Christi Dallas; Texas Catholic Conference; and Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.
For information on the death penalty in Texas or background on this event, or to arrange an interview with any of the participating religious leaders, please contact TCADP Executive Director Kristin Houlé at khoule@tcadp.org, 512-441-1808 (office), or 512-552-5948 (cell). Details on the event are available at https://tcadp.org/faithful-conversation/.
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