Pope John Paul II called on North Carolina's governor...

Pope John Paul II called on North Carolina's governor to grant clemency to John Hardy Rose, who is scheduled to be executed Nov. 30. The request was the 1st from any pope to the North Carolina governor for clemency in a specific case, The Vatican said. "This appeal is not intended to ignore or condone the crimes this man has been accused of," said the letter, written by Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo on behalf of the pope, to Gov. Mike Easley, a Catholic. "This appeal also does not deny the sufferings caused by those crimes. It is rather a heartfelt call for mercy beyond justice. It is an appeal for life."