Catholic officials from Georgia and Florida are urging a Georgia prosecutor to reverse her decision to seek the death penalty against a man accused of killing a Florida priest.
Augusta Judicial Circuit District Attorney Ashley Wright is seeking the death penalty against Steven Murray, who faces charges in the April killing of Fr Rene Robert.
Catholic bishops plan to hold a news conference on Tuesday outside the Richmond County Courthouse. They note that Fr Robert left a signed and notarised "Declaration of Life" saying that if he were to suffer a violent death he wouldn't want the person responsible to be executed.
Wright has said she considered the facts in the case and the aggravated nature of the killing when deciding to seek the death penalty.
