Former Prison Warden and Executioner Cabana to Give Christus Lecture

Nov 14th, 2003

Mobile, Ala.-- Donald A. Cabana, Ph.D., former warden of Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman, the country's largest prison, will present the third in a series of five Christus Lectures at Spring Hill College on Thursday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. in the Gautrelet Room. Cabana's presentation, "Death at Midnight: Confessions of an Executioner," will focus on his 25-year journey through the nation's prison system and how he went from being warden and executioner to avid opponent of and activist against the death penalty.

In his book by the same title, Cabana seeks a balanced position on the death penalty and encourages society to find alternatives such a life without parole. While he admits that there are "bad folks in prison and on death row," Cabana, who oversaw two executions as warden, believes the death penalty does nothing to deal with crime.

In his years of working in corrections, Cabana has served as a prison administrator in Massachusetts, Florida, and Missouri. He is currently an associate professor of criminal justice at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Sponsored by Quest for Social Justice, the Mobile Sisters Council and the Christus Theological Institute, the Christus Lecture is free and open to the public. Those attending should use the Dauphin Street entrance and bear right to the Administration Building/ Chapel parking area. For more information, call 251-380-4660.