The Supreme Court has sided with a death row inmate in Texas wanting to be prayed over while executed.
QUICK FACTS:
- John Henry Ramirez, an inmate on death row for killing a convenience store worker during a robbery in Corpus Christi, Texas, appealed to the Supreme Court to have his pastor pray out loud over him while being executed, the New York Post reported.
- In an 8-1 decision, the Supreme Court rejected Texas’ policy, which allowed an inmate’s spiritual advisor to be in the death chamber but not to speak to the inmate.
- His lawyers sued the state of Texas after he was told his pastor would not be given permission to pray out loud during the lethal injection, arguing Ramirez’ religious freedom is being violated.
CHIEF JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS ON THE CASE:
“Texas appears to have long allowed prison chaplains to pray with inmates in the execution chamber, deciding to prohibit such prayer only in the last several years.”
BACKGROUND:
- While the court has been arguing the case, executions in Texas, the busiest capital punishment state, have been delayed.
- “Ramirez seeks to have his pastor lay hands on him and pray over him during the execution. Both are traditional forms of religious exercise,” Chief Justice John Roberts said.
- Ramirez’s pastor, argued that “prayer accompanied by touch” is a “significant part of our faith tradition as Baptists.”
