Put simply, supporting the death penalty is inconsistent with our convictions about the value of life, convictions that are evident in our editorial positions opposing abortion, embryonic stem-cell research and euthanasia. We believe all life is sacred. And in embracing a culture of life, we cannot make distinctions between those we deem "innocents" and those flawed humans who populate Death Row.

Faith tells us we all are imperfect, but we're not beyond redemption. We believe it's up to God to say when a life has no more purpose on this Earth. . . . The Equal Justice Initiative's [Bryan]Stevenson argues the question is not whether these killers merit the state's ultimate punishment.

"The question has to be not whether they deserve to die," he said. "The question is, do we deserve to kill?" The News' editorial board strongly believes the answer to that question is no."

I look forward to reading their next five days of coverage. Here is their latest.

The death penalty isn't applied fairly in Alabama. If it were, the horror of a particular crime and the guilt of a particular defendant would determine whether a case ended with a sentence of death. Instead, the outcomes often hinge on the status of the accused, the quality of the defense, the race of the victim, even the location of the crime.