Death penalty abolitionist Sister Helen Prejean to speak at Notre Dame | News | Notre Dame News | University of Notre Dame Skip To Content Skip To Navigation Skip To Search University of Notre Dame Notre Dame News Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Home Contact Search Menu Home › News › Death penalty abolitionist Sister Helen Prejean to speak at Notre Dame Death penalty abolitionist Sister Helen Prejean to speak at Notre Dame Published: September 15, 2022 Author: Kevin Murphy Sister Helen Prejean Sister Helen Prejean, who for decades has been the leader and moral conscience at the heart of the anti-death-penalty movement in the United States, will participate in a fireside chat from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 23 (Friday) in the Eck Visitors Center Auditorium at the University of Notre Dame. The event, “Wrongful Convictions and the Death Penalty in America: A Fireside Chat with Sister Helen Prejean,” is hosted by the Notre Dame Law School Exoneration Justice Clinic and the Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights. Joseph A. Matson Dean and Professor of Law G. Marcus Cole will conduct the conversation with Sister Prejean. Sister Prejean grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and joined the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Medaille in 1957. In 1993, after ministering to death row inmates, she published the book “Dead Man Walking,” an autobiographical story of her relationship with death row inmates and opposition to the death penalty. “Dead Man Walking,” which was adopted into both a feature film and an opera, led Sister Prejean to become the nation’s most prominent opponent of capital punishment. In 1996, due to her advocacy against capital punishment, the University of Notre Dame awarded her with the Laetare Medal, the most prestigious award given to American Catholics. Sister Prejean has also been a vocal advocate against wrongful convictions in the United States. In 2004, she published her second book, “The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions,” which told the story of two innocent men whom Sister Prejean accompanied to their executions. She has written and spoken to audiences worldwide on the grave miscarriages of justice caused by wrongful convictions, the problems that lead to wrongful convictions and the intersection between wrongful convictions and the death penalty. Among other organizations and projects on which she works, she is a member of the board of advisors for the Notre Dame Law School Exoneration Justice Clinic. “Sister Helen has long been a pillar of the movement to abolish the death penalty and a fervent advocate for the wrongfully convicted. The Notre Dame Exoneration Justice Clinic is honored to host her here on campus,” said Notre Dame Law Professor Jimmy Gurulé, director of the Exoneration Justice Clinic. The fireside chat with Sister Prejean will be conducted in-person at the Eck Visitors Center and recorded for later viewing on Notre Dame Law School's YouTube channel and the Exoneration Justice Clinic’s website. In-person seating is limited and will be guaranteed only for those who register in advance. Register here. Originally published by Kevin Murphy at law.nd.edu on Sept. 2. Posted In: Faith Colleges & Schools Home Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Related July 14, 2022 Law School hosts second annual Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit in Rome May 25, 2022 Of faith and reason: Reflecting on Sister Kathleen Cannon’s 32 years at Notre Dame June 04, 2021 Law School to host inaugural Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit on June 28-29 March 11, 2021 Notre Dame Department of Theology ranked No. 1 in the world by QS World University Rankings June 17, 2020 Notre Dame Law School establishes Religious Liberty Clinic For the Media Contact Office of Public Affairs and Communications Notre Dame News 500 Grace Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Pinterest © 2022 University of Notre Dame Search Mobile App News Events Visit Accessibility Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn