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The Conversation USA

How the Catholic Church helped change the conversation about capital punishment in the United States

  • Written by Austin Sarat, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science, Amherst College
imageHelen Prejean has been one of the most high-profile opponents of the death penalty for decades.Brooks Kraft LLC/Sygma via Getty Images

Thirty years ago, the film “Dead Man Walking” had its debut in movie theaters around the United States. It was a box office hit, and critics lavished it with praise. Lead actress Susan Sarandon won an...

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