Washington, D.C. 20008-3687
June 7, 2000
The Honorable Jeb Bush
Governor of the State of Florida
The Capitol
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
N. 6139
Dear Governor Bush:
On behalf of His Holiness Pope John Paul II, I have the honor to approach you for the purpose of presenting an appeal for clemency for Mr. Bennie Demps, who is scheduled for execution at 6 PM tonight.
As you know, the Holy Father's appeals to end the death penalty have become more and more frequent and pressing. During his pastoral visit to the United States, the Holy Father, in the homily of the Mass he celebrated on January 27, 1999 in St. Louis, Missouri, stated: "A sign of hope is the increasing recognition that the dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil. Modern society has the means of protecting itself, without definitively denying criminals a chance to reform. I renew the appeal I made most recently at Christmas for a consensus to end the death penalty, which is both cruel and unnecessary."
Committed to upholding the sacredness and dignity of each human life, the Holy Father prays that the life of Mr. Demps may be saved through the compassion and magnanimity of yourself, Mr. Governor, and through the Board of Pardons and Paroles. His Holiness counts on your authority to have a life spared by commuting this sentence with a gesture of mercy which would certainly contribute to the promotion of a culture of life and of non-violence in the freedom-loving society of the United States. At this late hour, the granting of grace would be such a gesture.
In the confident hope that you will heed this urgent appeal, I assure you of my prayers for you in your very important responsiblities, while remaining,
Sincerely yours,
Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo
Apostolic Nuncio