STATEMENT ON A
PLEA FOR MERCY FOR ANTHONY BRYAN

February 22, 2000

   The 1983 murder of George Wilson was a heinous crime and we express our sincere sympathy for his brutalization and loss of life.  Anthony Bryan is scheduled to die on Thursday morning for this crime.  Again, we ask our Governor to halt this execution.

   The added violence of this execution will not be helpful to our society.   Executions coarsen us.  We daily condemn the violence around us but executions must be seen for what they are, legitimized killing by the state.  We send a message by these killings; they say more about us as a people than those who are being punished.

   Executions perpetuate the cycle of violence and feed an underlying sense of vengeance in our culture.  Life in prison without opportunity for parole is available as Florida's alternative, allowing society to protect itself, and allowing criminals the chance to reform.

   We are a government of, for and by the people.  These executions are not in our name.

Archbishop John C. Favalora
Archdiocese of Miami

Bishop John  J.  Snyder
Diocese of St. Augustine

Bishop John J. Nevins
Diocese of Venice

Bishop John H. Ricard, SSJ
Diocese  of Pensacola-Tallahassee

Bishop Robert N. Lynch
Diocese of St. Petersburg

Bishop Norbert M. Dorsey, CP
Diocese of  Orlando

Bishop Anthony J. O'Connell
Diocese of Palm Beach

Bishop Agústin A. Román
Archdiocese of Miami

Bishop Gilberto Fernandez
Archdiocese of Miami

Bishop Thomas G. Wenski
Archdiocese of Miami