Catholic Bishops in Florida are asking Governor Charlie Crist to spare the life of John Richard Marek.

Marek is scheduled to be executed Wednesday for the 1983 rape and murder of a St. Lucie County woman. Marek is being held on death row at Florida State Prison near Starke.

Shelia Hopkins, a spokeswoman for the Florida Catholic Conference, says the anti-death penalty movement is gaining moment because the state is short on cash.

“Recently there has been commentary by the public defenders who are opposing the death penalty based on the financial implications. The state of Florida is certainly in a very difficult financial situation right now and executions are very expensive so I think there is going to be more voices speaking out saying why are we spending all this money on killing people when we can actually put them in prison for life, which is actually cheaper alternative.”

Florida averages just over two executions a year at a cost estimated to be 50 million dollars. A group of public defenders have launched a website listing capital punishment statistics including the expense to the state.