High Court Rejects Appeal to Outlaw Death Penalty

The U.S. Supreme Court will not consider banning the death penalty.

On Monday, the justices turned down a death row prisoner's appeal to do away with capital punishment altogether.

Attorneys for Shonda Walters, convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death nearly 10 years ago, asked the court to consider the constitutionality of the death penalty to determine if it violates the Eighth Amendment prohibiting "cruel and unusual punishment."

A Christian opponent of the death penalty made his case at the March for Life last week.

Ron Sider, with Evangelicals for Social Action, pointed out that God spared Cain, the first murderer, and that Jesus defended a woman caught in adultery, which was punishable by death under Mosaic law.