On Tuesday, Jan. 12, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Florida’s capital sentencing system in a ruling that found judges in the state have far too much power, and not enough for juries, when imposing a death sentence. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who spoke for the majority, said that Florida’s sentencing process is unconstitutional as the jury simply plays an advisory role when it comes to recommending a death sentence.

Bishop Felipe J. Estévez released a statement on the same day applauding the Supreme Court’s ruling in this historical decision:

I am pleased with the U.S. Supreme Court decision Tuesday, Jan. 12, that found Florida violates the Constitution which requires a jury, not a judge, to find each fact necessary to impose a death sentence. Florida currently requires unanimous verdicts in every case in which juries are summoned, with the exception of sentencing someone to death.

The Catholic Bishops of Florida has long identified the need to address Florida’s flawed death sentencing scheme despite our position that life imprisonment without parole is an alternative that keeps society safe and renders the death penalty unnecessary.

The U.S. death penalty is mainly driven by a small minority of counties that use it aggressively, while the overwhelming majority of counties in the United States do not resort to it at all. For the past few years, Florida has led the country in the number of death sentences and has the second largest death row in the country. Florida has also found more innocent people on its death row than any other state.

Duval County, by itself, is one of the top 10 counties in the country for sending people to death row. Our 4th Judicial District, including Duval, Clay, and Nassau Counties, is responsible for more than 28 percent of the most recent death sentences in Florida.

I hope and pray that the Hurst decision will also bring about a much needed re-evaluation of the purpose and futility of Florida’s use of capital punishment. Such a much needed re-evaluation should begin where the death penalty is being used the most – right here in Northeast Florida.

In addition, I join my brother Bishops of Florida in urging the Florida legislature to respond to this decision by passing legislation which requires juries, as a collective body and conscience of the community, to be unanimous in the finding of aggravating circumstances and in recommending death over life imprisonment—a choice, I hope, will be very rare or almost non-existent.

Bishop Felipe J. Estévez is the spiritual leader of the Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine. The diocese encompasses 17 counties of Northeast and North Central Florida serving more than 250,000 Catholics in 61 parishes and mission churches.