Kenneth Foster spared

Texas Gov. Rick Perry intervened at the last minute to prevent yesterday's scheduled execution of Kenneth Foster. Foster was convicted for his role in a robbery turned murder--he was the driver, not the shooter, making him eligible for the death penatly in exactly one state.

This isn't Perry saying that the death penalty is barbaric and immoral, or even that it's ineffective as a deterrent and unfairly applied. In fact, he didn't even say that it's absurd to execute a killer's accomplice--instead, he argued that co-defendants in a capital case shouldn't be tried together, as Foster and his accomplices were.

Still, it's a surprising and hopeful development, as Perry is well-known for his enthusiastic support for capital punishment. And Foster, who was made in God's image, will not be the victim of state-sponsored violence.