Pope Francis's Representatives Intervene in Virginia Execution

Strategic Insights -

In a last-minute bid to save serial killer Alfred Prieto's life, the Vatican has written to Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, asking him to call off Prieto's execution, which is scheduled to take place as early as Thursday night. The letter from the Holy Father's representatives in Washington, citing Prieto's case as an example of the need to end the death penalty, comes as a federal judge in Richmond considers the issue of one of the three lethal injection drugs that was to be used in the execution. McAuliffe, a Catholic who has said he personally opposes the death penalty, has not yet responded to the Vatican's request, but his office has said he would not intervene to stop the execution.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Vatican has written to Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, asking him to call off the execution of serial killer Alfred Prieto, scheduled to take place as early as Thursday night.
  • The letter from the Holy Father's representatives in Washington, argues that Prieto's case is an example of the need to end the death penalty.
  • Federal judge Anthony J. Trenga has issued a stay on the execution, allowing defense lawyers to challenge the use of one of the three lethal injection drugs planned to be used.
  • Prieto, 49, is facing lethal injection for the 1988 shootings of Rachael A. Raver and Warren H. Fulton III outside of Reston.
  • Prieto is believed to have killed nine people and raped four others between 1988 and 1990.
  • Pope Francis called for an end to the death penalty during his visit to the United States, in which six death-row inmates were scheduled to be executed in five states over a two-week period.
  • The Vatican has sent similar letters to governors of Georgia and Oklahoma, asking for the inmates' lives to be spared.

Statistics:

  • 49: the age of serial killer Alfred Prieto
  • 9: the number of people Prieto is believed to have killed
  • 4: the number of people Prieto is believed to have raped
  • 1988-1990: the period over which Prieto committed his crimes
  • 6: the number of death-row inmates scheduled to be executed in five states over a two-week period following Pope Francis's visit to the United States

Sources:

  • [Washingtonian - publication]
  • [Jeff Caruso - quoted in the article]
  • [Brian Coy - quoted in the article]
  • [Tom Jackman - contributed to the article]