Clergy: Cox used Bible to advocate for death penalty

More than 100 religious leaders have signed an amicus — or friend of the court — brief objecting to what they say is Dale Cox's "misinterpretation and misuse" of the Bible to successfully argue for the death penalty for Rodricus Crawford.

"Most of these people were probably opposed to the death penalty anyway, but it was probably the calling on the Bible as a justification for the death penalty that was so scandalous and so irresponsible" said Bill Quigley, a Loyola University New Orleans law professor involved with the matter.

Cox did not immediately return calls seeking comment for this story.

In the brief, Cox is accused of misquoting scripture. He is also accused of injecting his own personal religious opinions into the case and violating Crawford's constitutional rights to a fair and impartial trial.

Crawford was convicted of killing his 1-year-old son, Roderius Lott. He was sentenced to death in 2013. An appeal is pending before the Louisiana Supreme Court.

The ministers, bishops, rabbis, priests, other ordained clergy and religious leaders signed the brief to bring to the court's attention two instances in which they say Cox wrongfully used the Bible as the state's justification to execute Crawford.

The first arose during Cox's cross-examination of the Rev. John Dent Sr. during the penalty phase of the trial. The defense had called Dent to the stand to speak as a character witness, the brief which will be filed with the Louisiana Supreme Court, says.

Under cross examination, Cox asked the pastor if he agreed that scripture attributed to Jesus Christ means "an earthly life would be terminated for harming a child." Dent did not agree with Cox's interpretation, the brief says.

In a second instance, Cox quoted the scripture again at the end of the penalty phase of the trial when the jury is asked to decide between life in prison or death.

"He (Jesus Christ) said, to the adult, who would harm one of these, 'one of these' referring to small children, Woe be unto you, who would harm on of these,'" the brief quotes Cox as saying. "Now, this is the Jesus Christ of the New Testament. 'It would be better if though you were never born. You shall have a millstone cast around your neck and you will be thrown into the sea.'"

Crawford's case has received national attention because some believe he's been wrongfully convicted. A change.org petition asking for his appeal to be granted had 2,798 supporters as of 7 p.m. Thursday. Another brief filed in September says unsupported and unreliable scientific evidence was used to convict Crawford.

Meanwhile, Cox's views on the death penalty also has made him the subject of mostly unfavorable national attention. Quigley said Cox is allowed to have his own personal, private religious beliefs.

But as an agent of the state, Cox erred when he used religion as a means to try to kill Crawford and used the Bible in a way that's at odds with Christian religious traditions,Quigley said. It was a dangerous breach in the wall between church and state, he said.

"He is there as a representative of our government," Quigley said. "It is not the position of the government and has never been the position of the government that the Bible is the basis for killing people."

If the Louisiana Supreme Court approves of Cox's conduct, Quigley said the next step is to go to the U.S. Supreme Court.

However, Quigley said he's confident the Louisiana Supreme Court will find Cox's action objectionable, as grounds for throwing out the death penalty sentences and either have Crawford re-sentenced or throw out the conviction and order a new trial.

"This is unprecedented," Quigley said. "We have never had 100 religious leaders in the state come out in a death penalty case, and I think it just shows how outrageous it is. I think it shows a real critique of the prosecutorial conduct in Caddo Parish."

He said lawyers and religious leaders will host a news conference at 10 a.m. Oct. 19. on the steps of the Louisiana Supreme Court in New Orleans.