Friday, January 29, 1999

PAPAL APPEAL FOR CLEMENCY SAVES PRISONER'S LIFE

VATICAN CITY, JAN 29, 1999 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following statement yesterday afternoon on the act of clemency by the governor of Missouri (U.S.A.) who commuted a prisoner's death sentence to life imprisonment without parole:

"During the pastoral visit of John Paul II to St. Louis, Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano had a private conversation with the governor of the state of Missouri to present to him, in the name of the Holy Father, a request for clemency for humanitarian reasons for Mr. Darrell Mease.

"At the time of his departure, the Holy Father personally beseeched the governor to take into consideration an act of clemency in Mr. Mease's regards.

"When he learned the news of the generous decision of the governor, John Paul II expressed great satisfaction for the gesture of significant humanity by Governor Mel Carnahan of Missouri."

OP;CLEMENCY; USA;...;SODANO; NAVARRO-VALLS;VIS;19990129;Word: 160;

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