COVINGTON — Revenge is not justice. That was the message Tuesday night at Mother of God Church at a special prayer vigil held to oppose the death penalty.

        The service was timed to correspond to what would have been the eve of Timothy McVeigh's and Jay D. Scott's executions. Mr. McVeigh's execution in Terre Haute, Ind., was delayed last week when it was discovered that the FBI had not released all records to his trial attorney. Mr. Scott's execution was called off at the last minute Tuesday night when a federal appeals court issued a stay.

Fort Thomas resident JoAnn Schwartz was among nearly 100 people attending Tuesday night's prayer vigil. (Brandi Stafford photo) | ZOOM |

        Father Jerry Reinersman said during the vigil that even perpetrators of “horrendous acts” such as the Oklahoma City bombing, for which Mr. McVeigh was convicted and sentenced to death, should not be punished by execution.

        “Capital punishment works on the assumption that the state gives life. Only God does that,” said Father Reinersman.

        Written statements against capital punishment by people such as Bishop Robert Muench of the Covington Diocese, and Bud Welch, whose daughter Julie Welch was killed in the Oklahoma City bombing, were read throughout the vigil service to reinforce the theme. Both oppose capital punishment.

        Cameron Cochran of Edgewood said he could un derstand those who support the death penalty, but said, “It's very primitive to think that killing would redeem something from the situation.”

        Fort Thomas resident JoAnn Schwartz agreed, though she conceded that she could not understand how victims' families could react with such forgiveness.

        “I can't even imagine what it would be like to forgive someone who killed my child,” she said. “I can only hope and pray that I could.”

Execution delayed; prison officials stunned
Death-penalty opponents gather
Planned executions spur prayer vigil
Diarro's death stuns school
Gas prices creep near $2 a gallon
Police search for suspect in shootings of four men
Boone County's budget up by 109%
Catch of the day: a friend
County braces for cuts
Fire ravages UK building
Fort Thomas cracks down on animal nuisances
20 graduate from Citizen Police Academy in Fairfield
Group promotes 'smart growth'
Kids give statue life
Mason OKs fire chief deal
Officials: Mental health reports falsified
Ohio court weighs jurisdiction in '63 beating death of teen girl
Openings contrast at porn trial
Paul Harvey in town
Property's value up to jurors
Residents take on Cinergy
School superintendent resigns
Trust led to two deaths, prosecutors say
Kentucky News Briefs
Tristate A.M. Report