Dear Members of HB 520 Study Commission:

We, the undersigned faith leaders, reflecting the rich diversity of faith traditions and spiritual practices observed in New Hampshire, stand together in expressing our opposition to New Hampshire's death penalty.  As faith leaders, the public often seeks our guidance and direction on both spiritual and practical issues.  As representatives of our respective faiths, we write to you today to ask you to support repeal of New Hampshire's death

As people of faith, we take this opportunity to reaffirm our opposition to the death penalty and to express our belief in the sacredness of human life.  The use of the death penalty is a gravely unjust method of protecting society, given the capacity of our modern penal system to incarcerate offenders for life.  The death penalty has no demonstrated deterrent effect that protects society, law enforcement or corrections officers within prisons.  Moreover, the death penalty is applied disproportionately to the poor and people of color and the ever increasing numbers of exonerations shows that it is also applied inaccurately.  This direct use of lethal means to protect society from unjust aggressors is unnecessary and unwarranted.

We have concerns about the way the death penalty fails murder victims' family members. As religious leaders, victims' family members often look to us as resources in the aftermath of murder.  As such, we have a special interest in advocating for policies that serve their needs and promote healing and well-being.  We believe that the death penalty does not help these families, instead, it prolongs their pain and delays their healing.

We write to voice our unease about the way our state's death penalty diverts funds from other needs.  In light of the serious economic challenges that face our state and the nation, the valuable resources that are expended in pursuing death sentences would be better spent on programs that have been proven to prevent crime, such as improving education, providing mental health services, funding community corrections programs and putting more law enforcement officers on our streets.  The funds would also be better spent supporting programs that assist victims of crime and their families.

It is our respect for human life and our opposition to violence in our society that prompts us to join with other death penalty opponents in New Hampshire to advocate for repeal of New Hampshire's death penalty.  We urge you to recommend that capital punishment be repealed in New Hampshire and that state resources be devoted to prevention of crime and achieving healing and restorative justice for victims.

Sincerely,

The Rev. Susan Ackley

Rev. Dr. Larry Adams

Rev. Michele Allan

The Rev. Robert E. Aspinwall

The Rev. Ted Asta

Very Rev. Dennis J. Audet, VF

Pastor Marilyn Ayer

The Reverend Noel Bailey

Marian K. Baker

Rev. W. Pierre Baker

Rev. Brendon Bass

Rev. Jean Bass
 

Rev. Louise K. Bastille

Rev. Henry Beairsto

Rev. Gerald R. Belanger

The Reverend Daniel Bernier

Rev. Dr. Dawn C. Berry

Rev. Gerry Bertin

Rev. Dr. Margaret W. Bickford

The Rev. John Blackadar

Sr. Suzanne Bourret, P.M.

The Rev. David Boyer

Pastor Shawn Brace

The Rev. Michael Bradley

Rev Roger Burkhart

The Rev. Grace P. Burson

Rev. Marilyn Bushnell

Rev. James S. Chaloner

Rev. Craig Chaney

Fr. Thomas Chininis

Most Rev. Francis J. Christian

The Rev. Charles H. Clark

Concord Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quaker)

Rev. Roland P. Cote

Aaron R. Cox

Br. Paul Crawford, OFM, Cap.

Rev. Gordon L. Crouch

Fr. Andrew W. Cryans

Rev. Barbara Luckett Currie

Rev. Randolph K. Dales

The Rev. Dr. William R. Daniels

Br. Paul Demers

The Rev. Dr. Donald F. Derse

Rev. Marc B. Drouin

Rev. Thomas L. Duston

The Rev. Marthe F. Dyner

Rev. Charles E. DesRuisseaux

Dover Quarterly Religious Society of Friends (Quaker)

The Rev. William Exner

Rev. Dr. Gordon E. Ellis

Rev Caroline Fairless

The Rev. Daniel Ferry

Deacon T. Kelly Fitzpatrick

Rev. Leonard R. Foisy

Mary Ellen Foley RSM

Sister Therese H. Forcier, p.m.

The Rev. Heidi Frantz-Dale

Rev. Virginia Fryer

Rev. Rodrigue J. Gallant

Rev. William S. Gannon

The Rev. Fran Gardner

Rev. Steve Garnaas-Holmes

Rev. Michael E. Gendron

Rev. Dr. Louis A. George, D. Min.

Rev. Thomas M. Getchell-Lacey

Rev. Richard Giroux

Revs. John and Susan Gregory-Davis

Rev. Michael J. Griffin

Rev. Bob Guillemette

Fr. Joseph Gurdak OFM Cap

Rev. Karen J. Hagy

Hanover Monthly Meeting Religious Society of Friends(Quaker)

Patricia C. Harris

The Rev. Dr. Miranda K. Hassett

Dwight S. Haynes

Rev. Gilman E. Healy

Rev. Celeste A. Hemingson

Rev. Linda C. Hey

Rev. Peter Hey

Rev. Charles B. Higgins

Rev. Mary Higgins

Rev. Deborah A. Hill

Rev. Dr. Judith A. Gooch

Rev. Susan Grant-Rosen

Rev. Dr. Nelson Howard, III

Rev. Allen M. Humes

Rev. Mary A. James

Rabbi Larry Karol

Rev. John W. Keegan, S.J.

Rev. David Keller

Rev. Susan de Puy Kershaw

Pastor Timothy J. Keyl

Rabbi Richard L. Klein

The Rev. W. Allan Knight

The Rev. Mark Kozielec

Rev. Anthony F. Kuzia, CM

Rev. Daniel Lamothe

Rev. Shannon F. Lamothe

The Rev. Susan Langle

Rev. Ellen Lankhorst

Rev. Richard I. Learned

Rev. Richard G. Leavitt

Rev. Leo LeBlanc

Rev Pojen Lee

Rev. Beverly L. Lindsey

Rev. Joyce Lovejoy

Rev. Peter Lovejoy

Rev. Andrew J. MacLeod

Most Rev. John McCormack, DD

Rev. Kimberly S. McKerley

Deacon Gregory McGinn

Rev. Marcel Martel

Pauline Maurier, CSC

Rev Curtis Metzger

Rev. John W. Michalowski, SJ

Monadnock Monthly Meeting Religious Society of Friends (Quaker)

Fr. Michael Monette

Rev. Paul D. Montminy

Rev. Marc R. Montminy

Deb Moore

Rev. William R. Morley

Deacon Edward P. Munz

Mrs. Ruth Nace

The Rev. William E. Nelson

The Rev. Stephanie Nichols

Rev. Murray Nickerson

Rev. Jeanne Nieuwejaar

Rev. Les Norman

Rev. Jean O'Bresky

Rev. Msgr. Wilfrid H. Paradis

Rev. David Pendleton

Very Rev. Fredrick Pennett, V.F.

Deacon Robert Potvin

Rev. Debra Pratt-Peckham

Rev. Russell Pregeant

Rev. Emily Preston

Rabbi Louis Rieser

Deacon Bill Rich

Rev. Beth Richeson

Rev. David Robins

The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson

Rev. Nancy Rockwell

The Rev. Sarah Rockwell     

Rev. M. Dean Roth

The Rev. Dr. Sheila S. Rubdi

Rev. Michael Scott

Rev. Gary M. Schulte

Rev. Steven M. Seminerio

Rev. Polly H. Shamy

Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Northeast Community

Rev. David Slater

Rev. John S. Sledziona, CM. 

Rev. Dr. David W. Smith

Rev. Larry W. Smith

Rev. Richard A. Smith

Rev. Carol Snow-Asher

Rev. Robin Thomas Soller,

Rev. Louis A. Soucey

Rev. Theresa M Stirling

Rev. Daniel A. St. Laurent

Rev. Carlos Jauhola Straight

Rev. Nancy Talbott

Monique C. Therriault

The Rt. Rev. Douglas E. Theuner

Rev. Jane Thickstun

Rev. Maren Tirabassi

Rev. Charles Tirrell

Rev. Kathleen H.N. Towns

Rev. Albert Tremblay, Jr.

The Rev. Jane W. Van Zandt

The Rev. E. Nicholas Van Gombos

The Rev. Stephen C. Washburn

The Rev. Dr. P. Mark Watts

Weare Monthly Meeting-Religious Society of Friends (Quaker)

The Rev. Jason Wells

Sr. Mary Elizabeth Whalen, S.N.D.deN

Reverend Gayle Whittemore

Rev. Harry Widman

Rev. Robert Windsor

Rev. Nancy Wood

Rev. Woody Woodland

Pastor David Yasenka

The Rev. Leonard Zecchini