Sister Barbara Battista is a Catholic nun, a Sister of Providence, who has worked as a healthcare provider for many years. At the same time, she has also been a dedicated activist in the movement against the death penalty, as well as taking on many other social justice issues. As a steadfast death penalty abolitionist, Sister Barbara easily agreed to serve as a spiritual advisor for some of the prisoners on the federal death row. She would eventually witness the executions of two of these men: Keith Dwayne Nelson on August 28, 2020 and William Emmett LeCroy, Jr. on September 22, 2020. I sat with Sister Barbara on December 4, 2022 in Terre Haute, on the grounds of the Sisters of Providence of St. Mary-of-the-Woods, to interview her as she reflected on her experiences of witnessing two federal executions.
In the video link above, Sister Barbara speaks on behalf of the men for whom she had served as their spiritual advisor during their executions.
Go to the link below to read more about the grief Sister Barbara Battista has experienced as a result of witnessing two federal executions.