By Nicole Hahn
Today’s Catholic
Special to The Message
Indiana State Rep. Bob Morris (R-Fort Wayne) officially filed legislation Dec. 5 to repeal the state law regarding the imposition and execution of death sentences. He wants the law to change to state specifically that if a person is sentenced to death and is awaiting execution of that death sentence, that person’s death sentence will be commuted to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Ultimately, Morris wants it to be a state law that there is no possibility to sentence a person to death.
Morris also wrote a letter to Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb asking to delay the execution of any inmate on death row at least until January, when state lawmakers return to session and the General Assembly can consider his proposed legislation. Though the proposed legislation isn’t specific to any particular case, the timing is important because, at the time of this writing, Indiana is set to perform its first execution in 15 years on Dec. 18.
Joseph Corcoran, now 49, was convicted in 1997 of the murders of his brother, his sister’s fiancé and two of their friends at his home in Fort Wayne. He was sentenced to death in 1999 and has been on death row since that time. Lawyers have continued to fight for a stay of execution. On Dec. 6, according to public records on mycase.in.gov, the Indiana Supreme Court denied a motion to stay Corcoran’s execution. Records also indicate that a second motion was filed with the court the same day of the denial. On Dec. 9, records show the Indiana Supreme Court issued its response, concluding the court should deny the second motion to stay the execution. At the time of this writing, the execution of Joseph Corcoran stands to take place on Dec. 18.
Morris admitted he has had a change of heart about the death penalty throughout the past few years.
“I think it’s who I am,” Morris told Today’s Catholic. “Christ made me, and being a God-fearing person and the way my parents raised me, it’s something that being a legislator … and how Christ created me, and feeling very compelled … I’ve been trying to educate my fellow colleagues on where I’m at with ending capital punishment.”
Morris reached out to Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend for his counsel about the letter and his change of heart.
“He and I have a good relationship,” Morris said. “So, I heard from Bishop Rhoades and the Catholic Conference of Bishops, and they are 100 percent behind me in the message and the mission,” Morris said. He added that he also has the backing of the Indiana Catholic Conference.
He told Today’s Catholic a story about one incident that affected him in this journey.
“It’s a Holy Spirit moment,” Morris said. “A good friend of the family, they lost a son, and Bishop Rhoades did the funeral and said during the petitions to pray for government leaders as they stand for life. So that, and hearing the word, hearing the homily, hearing the message, hearing the bishop’s words at the funeral … at that time really affected me. So, I’m carrying forward, pressing on. So that was maybe six, seven weeks ago.”
Morris also talked about how executions don’t just affect the person being executed.
“You know, it’s just not one life,” Morris said. “There’s a number of other lives that are being affected at our prisons as well. Think of the employees and the fact that they have to be a part of this act of execution and how it affects them. So, they can all appear like they’re good until you look at it and step back. That’s someone’s dad, someone’s brother, someone’s sister, so the people on the execution team are struggling in their own way.”
At the heart of it, Morris said, “I am living my faith, and I am standing for people and doing what I feel is the right thing to do.”
Morris still has hope that Gov. Holcomb will stay executions until the legislation can be taken up in session in January.
Morris gave Today’s Catholic a copy of the letter he wrote to the governor detailing his former stance on capital punishment and his change of heart based on his faith, saying, “I believe only one position honors Our Lord and Savior, our Creator: to protect all human life.”
To read Morris’ full letter, visit https://todayscatholic.org/representative-makes-position-known-regarding-death-penalty/.