Pope Attacks Death Penalty as US Plans Livestream Execution: 'Inadmissible'

Pope Leo XIV has condemned the death penalty following the Pentagon's announcement to livestream the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan. The pontiff argued that capital punishment is an affront to human dignity and the sanctity of the individual. As the first U.S.-born pope, Leo XIV made these remarks on social media platform X, advocating for effective detention systems that ensure public safety without resorting to execution.

He contended that the common good and the pursuit of justice can be achieved without capital punishment, as alternatives for rehabilitation are available. The Pope's comments follow the Pentagon's confirmation of the livestreamed execution, sparking backlash from U.S. lawmakers across the political spectrum. Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, also criticized the decision, describing it as a "barbaric promotion of a culture of death" that must be reconsidered.