Summary

--SUPERS--
:00 - :17
Delia Gallagher
Rome

:18 - :29
Greg Burke
Vatican Spokesman

:35 - :47
Greg Burke
Vatican Spokesman

:48 - :59
KATV

1:00 - end
Delia Gallagher
Rome

--LEAD IN--
POPE FRANCIS HAS FORMALLY DECLARED THAT THE DEATH PENALTY IS NEVER ADMISSIBLE -- AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WILL WORK TOWARDS ITS ABOLITION AROUND THE WORLD.
THE CHANGE HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
IT MAKES OFFICIAL A POSITION POPE FRANCIS HAS ARTICULATED SINCE HE BECAME PONTIFF.
DELIA GALLAGHER HAS MORE:

--REPORTER PKG-AS FOLLOWS--
Delia Gallagher/Rome: "The Vatican's change in teaching on the death penalty has been some time coming. Both John Paul the second and Benedict the Sixteenth spoke out against the death penalty. But Pope Francis has officially changed it on the books. I just spoke to Vatican spokesman Greg Burke who explained why:
Greg Burke/Vatican Spokesman: "The key point here is really human dignity. The pope is saying that no matter how grievous the crime someone never loses his or her human dignity."
POPE FRANCIS HAS ALSO SUPPORTED ELIMINATING THE DEATH PENALTY BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF ERROR IN THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM.
Greg Burke/Vatican Spokesman: "One of the rationales for the death penalty in Catholic teaching historically was to protect society. Obviously the state still has that obligation. That's not being taken away here. But they can do that in other ways."
WHILE IN THE UNITED STATES THE DEATH PENALTY IS STILL LEGAL, ALMOST ALL COUNTRIES IN EUROPE HAVE ABOLISHED IT.
INDEED ELIMINATING CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IS A PRECONDITION FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE EUROPEAN UNION.
Delia Gallagher/Rome: "Of course the Pope's decree is not binding on any country but it is a sign that support for capital punishment is becoming less and less acceptable. Delia Gallagher CNN Rome."
-----END-----CNN.SCRIPT-----

--KEYWORD TAGS--
ROME VATICAN POPE FRANCIS DEATH PENALTY CAPITAL PUNISHMENT