Judge, U. alumna speaks on Catholic views of death

Opposing capital punishment as "an ever-spreading oil slick on the fabric of justice," University alumna and Court of Common Pleas Judge Lisa Richette kicked off the Newman Center's centennial celebration lecture series with a speech at the Center last week. During her 45-minute speech, Richette gave the approximately 35 people attending the luncheon a historical overview on the debate over capital punishment and Catholic opposition to the death penalty. She drew parallels between the contemporary debate over the issue in the United States and the successful fight to abolish the death penalty in England in the 19th century, with particular emphasis on the writings of Catholic scholar Cardinal John Newman. At times, Richette graphically described various means of carrying out the death penalty. "The electric chair has been in use for 100 years, and it never fails to produce a hideous death," she said. Richette contested the argument that it is cheaper to kill capital offenders than to keep them in prison by offering stastistics reported in The Miami Herald stating that each prisoner Florida executed cost the state $3.2 million. "There are 2,588 prisoners on death row in this country," Richette said. "Given the current system of appeals, it could take until the year 2030 to execute all of them." The justice system is not infallible, she added, calling the death penalty "judicial roulette." "The law cannot resurrect people," she said. Richette, who often visits capital offenders serving life sentences, said that people often reform themselves in prison. "In prison at least there is the possibility of hope, of resurrection, of redemption," she said. "Ten years after the imposition of a sentence, most people have usually changed. They are not the same person who committed the crime." Richette said she is dismayed by what she referred to as "the moral patchwork" which exists within the Catholic Church, referring to Catholics who favor the death penalty but oppose abortion rights. In her mind, she said, the issues are one and the same: "A life is a life. It can't be categorized in legalistic or moralistic terms." Richette criticized the lack of leadership against the death penalty on the parish level in the United States and attacked what she referred to as statements of "appeasement to pro-death Catholics" in the U.S. Bishops 1980 position against capital punishment. Richette also blasted the press for what she said were attacks on compassionate judges, saying the press "builds up this hatred of anyone who behaves like a Christian." Most of those in attendance said that they agreed with Richette and that they were very pleased with her speech. "I thought she spoke very well," said Jim Stasheff, a visiting mathematics proffesor from the University of North Carlonia. "She addressed a debate with which America and the Church must deal." Mary Beth Kelly, the Newman Center's education chairperson, said she was also pleased with the luncheon. "We're entirely pleased with the turnout," Kelly said. "She's a tremendous speaker. It was an honor to have her at our first lecture in this centennial series." After the speech and a brief question and answer session, Richette said she thought the audience was responsive. "It was a wonderfully responsive audience with a wonderful set of questions," Richette said. "This is a difficult passage and to present it in spiritual terms isn't easy." Richette graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University and is a graduate of Yale Law School. She has received numerous awards for public and community service, appears regularly on "Nightline" and "Good Morning America," and has published a book titled The Throwaway Children.