In Florida, a Catholic former death row prisoner works to save those still condemned to death

Joaquín José Martínez takes the long view when it comes to abolishing the death penalty: “One step at a time.”

Convicted of murder in 1997 and sentenced to death, Martínez — a Catholic — was exonerated in 2001. Since then he has spent years advocating against the death penalty in Florida and elsewhere.

At a press conference on Nov. 12, Martínez urged Florida’s Gov.-elect Byron Donalds to halt executions in the state, something Catholics and other advocates have been calling on the government to do for years.

The advocate said the sociopolitical landscape around capital punishment has changed radically over the years, particularly in schools, where Martínez himself regularly speaks to students about abolishing the death penalty.

“We didn’t have anyone come out [when I was a child] to teach us and speak to us about how horrible the death penalty was,” he said. “To see this change now, I’m overwhelmed by it.”

Florida is among the most active states in putting prisoners to death. Data from the Death Penalty Information Center show 23 executions there over the last year alone.

Catholic bishops in the state have been active in speaking out against executions, urging the…