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Indiana lawmakers and Catholic Conference call for repeal of death penalty with HB 1030

Last Updated 2 weeks by Amnon J. Jobi | Amnon Front Page

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Some House Democrats including State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn of Indianapolis and the Indiana Catholic Conference hosted a news conference Monday at the Statehouse to call for the support of House Bill 1030, which would end the death penalty in Indiana.

Indiana is one of the 24 states in the U.S. that still actively uses the death penalty, though it remains a subject of intense debate. As of 2025, the state continues to carry out executions for the most heinous crimes, with lethal injection being the primary method.

The bill was authored by Rep. Robert Morris, R-Fort Wayne, and co-authored by Rep. Chris Judy, R-Albiote; Rep. Jake Teshka, R-South Bend; and Rep. Mark Genda, R-Frankfort. Other Democrats have come out in support.

The issue of the death penalty has sparked significant debate among Indiana lawmakers, human rights advocates, and the general public. Proponents argue that it serves as a deterrent and ensures justice for the most grievous offenses, while opponents point to concerns about wrongful convictions, the high cost of death penalty trials, and the ethical implications of state-sanctioned execution.

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In a letter penned by Rep. Wilburn and signed by 14 other House Democrats, Wilburn writes:

“On the heels of an executive order to restore the death penalty from the Office of the President of the
United States today, I am reaching out to urge you to support Representative Bob Morris’ House Bill
1030 which repeals the death penalty in Indiana. This piece of legislation will realign our State’s
commitment to the pursuit of justice by acknowledging there is no conclusive evidence “of the deterrent
value of the death penalty” to prevent crime, affirmed by an increasing number of law enforcement
professionals.

“I believe that this legislation strikes a balance wherein the person’s death sentence is commuted to a
sentence of life imprisonment without parole. Furthermore, it safeguards the risk of the potential
execution of innocent people and prevents the collective trauma that is experienced by all people
involved in an execution helping to ensure a morally well society. Together, we can support and uplift
House Bill 1030 as a collective body.

“As a person of faith, I harken back to Pope Francis’ call for the abolition of the death penalty in 2020.
Below are a few words of his that I would like to share.

“‘All people of good will to mobilize for the abolition of the death penalty throughout the
world. Capital punishment offers no justice to victims but rather encourages revenge. And it prevents
any possibility of undoing a possible miscarriage of justice.’

“Since Indiana resumed executions in 1981, it has executed 20 individuals. However, executions in the state are infrequent.”

The death penalty in Indiana is governed by strict legal procedures. A person can be sentenced to death only after being convicted of certain violent crimes, typically murder with aggravating circumstances such as the murder of a law enforcement officer or multiple victims. The state’s death row is housed at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City.

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However, Indiana ended a 15-year hiatus with the execution of Joseph Corcoran on December 18, 2024, at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City. Corcoran, who had been sentenced to death for the 1997 murders of four people, including his own brother, was pronounced dead at 1:44 a.m. EST/12:44 a.m. CST.

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Joseph Edward Corcoran, 49, was executed on Dec. 18, 2024. (Provided Photo/Indiana Department of Corrections)

Pentobarbital, a powerful sedative, was used as the lethal injection drug for Corcoran. The state had faced challenges in continuing executions due to a shortage of drugs used in lethal injections, with the last execution in Indiana prior to Corcoran’s taking place in 2009, when Matthew Wrinkles was executed.

Despite Corcoran’s long history of serious mental illness, including schizophrenia, which prompted multiple expert testimonies regarding his incompetence to face execution, the state proceeded with his death sentence. Corcoran’s mental health had been a point of contention, with some advocating for his execution to be delayed or halted. The execution of Joseph Corcoran marked a significant and controversial moment in Indiana’s use of the death penalty.

Despite the ongoing debate, Indiana continues to uphold the death penalty, though its future remains uncertain as public opinion and political views evolve. For now, the state stands as part of a minority of U.S. states that continue to use capital punishment.

Indiana House Bill 1030 repeals the law concerning the imposition and execution of death sentences and makes conforming amendments. (Sceenshot/Indiana General Assembly Website iga.in.gov)