THE DEATH PENALTY IN VIRGINIA - A LIFE ISSUE

Why is the death penalty a life issue? What does our church teach about capital punishment? What choices do we have? Where does Virginia fall on the spectrum? Compared to other states, do we use capital punishment less often or more often? What is the

trend in Virginia? In other states? Why does it matter? Because these people are being put to death in the name of We the People. Don’t brush it off. Come inform your conscience!

ALL ARE WELCOME. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE MATURE SUBJECT MATTER, PARENTAL DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

Michael Stone is the Virginia Coordinator for the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. As the former Director of the Office of Justice & Peace for the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, he is well informed on the church’s positions. He also worked for 29 years in social ministry for the Catholic Church in Rhode Island, Maine, and Virginia. Michael earned Bachelor ofScience degrees in Economics and Urban Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an M.A. degree inPastoral Ministry from Boston College.

Meghan Shapiro is a solo criminal defense lawyer in Alexandria, Virginia. She was formerly with the Northern Virginia Capital Defender’s Office. Her law practice focuses primarily on defending indigent individuals facing the death penalty in stateand federal trials in Virginia. She has also litigated Virginia’s lethalinjection and electric chair protocols, published several articles on death penalty law, and serves on the board of Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. She earned her law degree from the University of Texas in 2009, where she studied under the accomplished faculty of the Capital Punishment Center. Upon graduation, Meghan clerked for the Honorable Leonie M. Brinkema, Federal District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia.

n Thursday, December 13, St. Mark will host two speakers from Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty: Michael Stone and Meghan Shapiro. They will discuss the Church’s teaching on the death

penalty, the Virginia law on the subject, and the strategy to make changes. The program will be in the Cassidy Activities Center at 7:00 p.m.

THERE IS NO CHARGE AND REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED

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THERE WILL BE A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION AFTER MICHAEL AND MEGHAN HAVE SPOKEN.