• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Sister Helen Prejean, a death penalty abolitionist, is seen in Anaheim, Calif., calling for an end to the death penalty in this 2016 file photo. In a statement issued through the progressive group MoveOn, the Sister of St. Joseph said her mission was both to serve as Texas death-row inmate Ivan Cantu's spiritual adviser during his incarceration and "publicly share the injustice" of his execution Feb. 28, 2024. (OSV News photo/CNS file, J.D. Long-Garcia, The Tidings)

Texas executes death-row inmate despite allegations of false testimony at trial

February 29, 2024
By Kate Scanlon
OSV News
Filed Under: News, Respect Life, World News

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Ivan Cantu was executed Feb. 28 by the state of Texas despite claims that the Texan’s 2001 conviction for killing James Mosqueda and Amy Kitchen, his cousin and his cousin’s fiancee, was based on false testimony.

In a statement issued through the progressive group MoveOn, Sister Helen Prejean, a member of the Congregation of St. Joseph and death penalty abolitionist, said her mission was both to serve as Cantu’s spiritual adviser during his incarceration and “publicly share the injustice of this execution.”

“We took up the cause of this man because mistakes were made at his trial,” Sister Helen said. “And we have a deficient and flawed appeal system that refused to review the substantive issues in this case. Ivan is a very brave man. In the final hours of his life, I granted Ivan peace as he readied himself to die. Ivan initiated more avenues in the pursuit of his exoneration than any single person I’ve counseled on death row.”

Ivan Cantu, a Texas death-row inmate, was executed Feb. 28, 2024, despite claims that his 2001 conviction for killing his cousin and his cousin’s girlfriend was based on false testimony. Cantu is pictured in an undated prison photo. (OSV News photo/Texas Department of Criminal Justice) .

Collin County Prosecutor Greg Willis said in a statement, “After over two decades of multiple state and federal courts comprehensively reviewing his conviction, Ivan Cantu has finally met with justice tonight.”

“My hopeful prayer is for the victims’ families, friends, and loved ones to find a long-awaited sense of peace,” Willis said, arguing that “clear and powerful evidence” backed up the sentence.

But multiple jurors from Cantu’s original trial have said they did not support his execution, The Texas Tribune reported.

Cantu’s case garnered national attention after allegations that false testimony contributed to his conviction. More than 151,600 people signed an online petition calling for a stay of his execution.

One such advocate was reality TV star Kim Kardashian, who has previously expressed interest in overturning cases with allegations of wrongful convictions. Kardashian circulated the petition prior to Cantu’s execution, and afterwards wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that Cantu was “someone I believe is an innocent man.”

“My prayers go out to his family and loved ones and everyone involved,” she said.

Sister Helen said, “Ivan was grateful for everyone who supported him in his fight for a fair trial. Remember, by speaking up and taking action for Ivan together, we are bending the arc toward justice and are one step closer to ending the death penalty.”

The Catholic Church teaches the death penalty is incompatible with the sanctity of human life. In his 2020 encyclical, “Fratelli Tutti,” Pope Francis cited the writings of St. John Paul II, explaining his predecessor “stated clearly and firmly that the death penalty is inadequate from a moral standpoint and no longer necessary from that of penal justice.”

“There can be no stepping back from this position,” Pope Francis wrote. “Today we state clearly that ‘the death penalty is inadmissible’ and the church is firmly committed to calling for its abolition worldwide.” Pope Francis also revised the Catechism of the Catholic Church (No. 2267) in 2018 to reflect that position.

In a Feb. 29 statement, Jennifer Allmon, executive director of the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops, called for people to “pray and petition our representatives for a reform of our death penalty due process.”

“It is simply unconscionable that the courts have set an impossibly high threshold to present new evidence when a person’s life is at stake,” she said.

Catholic Mobilizing Network executive director Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy also released a Feb. 29 statement, saying Cantu’s execution, “despite serious doubts about his guilt and newly discovered evidence,” demonstrated how “our criminal legal system is more interested in vengeance than fairness.”

She noted that since 1976, when capital punishment in the U.S. was restored, “196 people have been exonerated from death row after being sentenced to death for a crime they didn’t commit.”

Read More Respect Life

Planned Parenthood

Judge blocks, for now, Planned Parenthood defunding provision backed by bishops

Report: US abortions continue post-Dobbs rise in part due to telehealth

In retrial, judge acquits man charged in assault on pro-life protester

Supreme Court rules states can deny Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood

British Parliament ‘effectively decriminalizes’ abortion up to birth

Supreme Court takes up appeal from N.J. faith-based pregnancy centers

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Kate Scanlon

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Hope rises from ashes for St. Rita parishioners

  • Archbishop Lori and Supreme Knight Kelly meet with Pope Leo

  • 3 North Americans named to Vatican dicasteries for ecumenism, interreligious dialogue

  • ‘Big Boss’ begins first day visiting Catholic Charities programs

  • Jurassic World Rebirth Movie Review: Jurassic World Rebirth

| Latest Local News |

Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

DUAL ENROLLMENT

Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students

St. Mary’s purchases former Annapolis Area Christian School

Radio Interview: Exploring the Nicene Creed – Part Two

St. Clement Mary Hofbauer adapts to times, cultures as it celebrates 100th anniversary

| Latest World News |

Russia Ukraine Vatican peace

Pope: Vatican still ready to host peace talks between Russia, Ukraine

Pope prays for conversion of those resisting climate action at new Mass

Planned Parenthood

Judge blocks, for now, Planned Parenthood defunding provision backed by bishops

school choice

ANALYSIS: ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ gives school-choice advocates partial victory with more to do

Notre Dame prepares to reopen towers’ tour with return of famed statues of saints to rooftop

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Pope: Vatican still ready to host peace talks between Russia, Ukraine
  • Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors
  • Pope prays for conversion of those resisting climate action at new Mass
  • Judge blocks, for now, Planned Parenthood defunding provision backed by bishops
  • ANALYSIS: ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ gives school-choice advocates partial victory with more to do
  • Notre Dame prepares to reopen towers’ tour with return of famed statues of saints to rooftop
  • After 12 years, locals welcome pope back to his summer home
  • Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students
  • Synod office provides guidelines to help local churches, bishops implement synodality

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en