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News :: Civil & Human Rights |
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Gov. Ryan Commutes Death Sentences |
Current rating: 0 |
by Paul Riismandel
Email: paul (nospam) mediageek.org (unverified!)
Address: Champaign, IL |
11 Jan 2003
Modified: 02:13:33 PM |
This afternoon Illinois Governor George Ryan commuted the death senteces of all current death row prisoners, changing them to life in prison.
In a speech today Ryan said:
"We had executed 12 people since capital punishment was reinstated here in Illinois in 1977. With the 13th exonerated inmate in January of 2000, we had released more innocent men from Death Row than those hopefully guilty people we had executed.
Three years ago, I described it as a shameful scorecard. Truly shameful. So I did the only thing I could. I called for what is in effect a moratorium.
A lot of people called that courageous. . . . It wasn't. It was just the right thing to do. . . ." |
Anti-death penalty activists and advocates of human rights everywhere had hoped for a blanket commutation after Ryan publicly placed the option on the table. His work on the issue, including a current moratorium on the death penalty in Illinois, has sparked a movement to nominate Ryan for a Nobel Peace Prize.
This comes despite the so-called "licenses for bribes" scandal involving funding used in Ryan's campaign for the governor's office while he was Secretary of State. The scandal has been a dark shadow over Ryan's term as governor, and is largely regarded as bearing some responsibility for the Democratic victories in last November's elections.
In his speech Gov. Ryan went on to say:
" There are more innocent people on Death Row. . . .
In some way, I can see how rogue cops, 20 years ago, can run wild. I can see how, in a different time, they perhaps were able to manipulate the system.
What I can't understand is why the courts can't find a way to act in the interest of justice. . . . They (the four men pardoned Friday) are perfect examples of what is so terribly broken about our system.
These cases call out for someone to act. They call out for justice, they cry out for reform. They cry out to be fixed. Their cries have fallen on deaf ears."
Ryan then blasted the Illinois legislature for failing to act on the abuses:
"Thirteen innocent men were nearly executed. Countless flaws are highlighted. The system has proved itself to be wildly inaccurate, unjust and unable to separate the innocent from the guilty and, at times, a very racist system. And yet we couldn't pass a reform package in Springfield."
Ryan leaves office on Monday, to be replaced by newly elected Democrat Rob Blagojevic. At the same time the Democrats take control of the Illinois legislature.
A Republican, Ryan has angered many in his party, now also losing control in the legislature, for his stance against the death penalty.
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