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August 19, 2019TALLAHASSEE, FL – Gary Ray Bowles is scheduled to be executed on Thursday, August 22 at 6:00 p.m. for the 1994 murder of Walter Hinton. Bowles additionally pled guilty to five other murders and is serving life sentences for two of them.
In a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis, Michael Sheedy, executive director, Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops, acknowledged that Bowles’ actions caused grievous harm to the victims, their loved ones, and the community. Sheedy also noted Bowles’ history of childhood trauma as a victim of abuse, homelessness, and child prostitution.
Urging the governor to stay the scheduled execution, Sheedy writes, “Intentionally ending Mr. Bowles’ life is unnecessary. Society can remain safe from any future violent actions of his through life-long incarceration without parole. Premeditated, state-sanctioned homicide of Mr. Bowles would only perpetuate the cycle of violence that victimized him, and which he later perpetuated.”
The Catholic Church has long advocated for an end to the use of the death penalty. Preceding each execution for nearly four decades, the Florida bishops have urged governors to commute the sentence of the condemned to life in prison. This is the second death warrant signed by Gov. DeSantis.
Prior to Bowles’ scheduled execution, Catholic faithful and members of the community will gather across Florida to pray for the victims of violent crimes and their families, for those on death row, for the governor as he confronts the decision to proceed with the execution, and for an end to the use of the death penalty.
Links:# # #The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops is an agency of the Catholic Bishops of Florida. It speaks for the Church in matters of public policy and serves as liaison to the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. The archbishop and bishops of the seven (arch)dioceses in Florida constitute its board of directors.