Quinn signs death penalty ban, commutes 15 death row sentences to life

[Horse with no Name]

Source: Chicago Tribune

SPRINGFIELD — Gov. Pat Quinn today signed into law a historic ban on the death penalty in Illinois and commuted the sentences of 15 death row inmates to life without parole.

Quinn signed the legislation in his Capitol office surrounded by longtime opponents of capital punishment in a state where flaws in the process led to the exoneration of numerous people sentenced to death.

"For me, this was a difficult decision, quite literally the choice between life and death," Quinn wrote in his signing statement. "This was not a decision to be made lightly, or a decision that I came to without deep personal reflection."

"Since our experience has shown that there is no way to design a perfect death penalty system, free from the numerous flaws that can lead to wrongful convictions or discriminatory treatment, I have concluded that the proper course of action is to abolish it," Quinn wrote. "With our broken system, we cannot ensure justice is achieved in every case."

Read more: http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2011/03/quinn-signs-death-penalty-ban-commutes-15-death-row-sentences-to-life.html

---

Outstanding.

[MineralMan]

1. This should be done nationwide.

I have always thought that a Constitutional Amendment prohibiting the death penalty in the United States would be a great idea.

[sharp_stick]

2. Connecticut may be next

It's pretty much just a paper punishment in this State anyway but I think we'd save a fortune by getting rid of the paper.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704504404576184692540176926.html

[Warpy]

6. That's how it was in NM

with one execution since 1961 by the time it was banned in 2009.

We still have a few on death row from before the ban. It still remains to be seen if they'll be executed.

With the Texas teabagger we have as governor, they probably will be if their time's up in the next 4 years.

[davsand]

3. I am proud of our legislature that they got it passed, and I am proud of Quinn.

This was not solely a victory of the legislature nor of the Governor. I am proud of them all for getting to this point. No government should be in the business of killing off its citizens. PERIOD.

I know many attorneys and law enforcement officials will disagree with this law, but I honestly think it is the morally correct thing to do.



Laura

[truebrit71]

4. Another reason why I am so glad that out of the 2010 carnage we still kept a D in the statehouse...

...Life under Brady would have been intolerable...

[mopinko]

8. well, i hope this overshadows ryan's self interested

stay. i still say that even tho he was not likely to be prosecuted for it, he had the blood of the willis children on his hands. he knew those children died because of his greed. if he didn't all he had to do was read the papers. or call the persons that he sent to smear glenn pochard for making a campaign commercial about it. or look in the mirror.

so grateful to live in a blue state where things like this are even possible. good on the legislators, and on pat quinn. he is an honest and decent man, and i look forward to life under a progressive governor.

[marasinghe]

23. as you should be - proud, i mean. so good to know there are civilized humans in politics. (n/t)

[GodlessBiker]

5. The "choice between life and death" was a "difficult decision,...not...to be made lightly." Really?

[Tansy_Gold]

11. I thought the same thing. But I guess it's a good thing he made the right choice.

Wouldn't have been difficult for me at all.



TG

[GodlessBiker]

17. Yes, the decision was a good one, but his turn of phrase left a lot to be desired.

[No Elephants]

49. Meh. Better than well chosen words to justify a veto. Maybe he felt he had to give

lip service bc no state is without its bloodlusting freaks?

[Dogtown]

7. K&R n/t

[PatSeg]

9. K&R

[seeviewonder]

10. Proud to say he's my governor!

I met him last year and had my picture taken with him. Seems like a good guy all around.

[sabra]

12. Death penalty abolished in Ill. with new law

Source: CBS News/AP

Governor clears death row moments after Illinois becomes 15th state to end capital punishment; law takes effect July 1

(CBS/AP)

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The governor of Illinois has abolished the state's death penalty.

Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation Wednesday abandoning capital punishment, two months after Illinois lawmakers voted to do the same and more than a decade after former Gov. George Ryan imposed a moratorium because of concern that innocent people could be put to death.

Quinn also commuted the death sentences of 15 prisoners moments after signing the bill into law. By changing their sentences to life in prison, Quinn emptied the state's death row, meaning that Illinois may never execute another person.

Illinois now joins 15 other states that have done away with the death penalty. The new law takes effect July 1.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/03/09/national/main20041207.shtml?tag=breakingnews

[Taverner]

13. Awesome. Now let the murderers rot in jail

[Dappleganger]

14. k&r for life!

:applause:

[thereismore]

15. A decent and humane thing to do. Congrats Ill! nt

[EFerrari]

16. K&R

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

18. I'm disappointed in that the usual RW cesspools haven't yet started the wailing & gnashing of teeth.

Neither FreeRepublic, nor the... others.

[24601]

21. I believe you miss the point - when the people decide this through

the elected legislature, it's in the "so what" category. The problem comes when judges usurp legislative authority and make laws based on how they would vote in the legislature. The US Constitution is undeniably clear allowing the death penalty - so barring an amendment, it's a state by state decision.

[No Elephants]

50. "The US Constitution is undeniably clear allowing the death penalty" not really--exept maybe to

Scalia and those who buy his highly selective style of "originalism," whih would justify anything that flew in 1789--unless Tony doesn't want the 1789 view.

"The problem comes when judges usurp legislative authority and make laws based on how they would vote in the legislature."

Gag. I have read many, many cases without seeing a single example of that so-called "judiial activism" cited so often by our friends on the right.

But thanks for attempting a ringing defense of what you imagine to be the "point" of what Commie Pinko referred to as "the usual RW cesspools....Neither FreeRepublic, nor the... others." (As though none of them would not object to abolition of the death penalty on grounds of a Biblical "eye for an eye" directive and/or some rigid "law and order"-type rationale, even if it did come from a legislature.)

[frazzled]

19. I'm so gratified, and like to think my letter to him ...

played a small part in helping him come to this decision. It's been a lifetime conviction of mine that the death penalty is wrong, and I laid out my reasons why, both legal and ethical.

This is a big deal because unlike some other states, the death penalty actually had been used in Illinois quite a bit, until the moratorium in 1999.

[Kingofalldems]

20. K and R

[pettypace]

22. Cool the first step is complete

Now we need to get those poor men out of prison so they can enjoy life the rest of us.

No one belongs in prison.

[defendandprotect]

24. Bless the sanity -- and let it move on to other states -- !!!

[lonestarnot]

25. Most outstandingly excellent! Woot!

:applause:

[alp227]

26. Illinois Bans Capital Punishment

Source: The New York Times

Illinois became the 16th state to ban capital punishment as Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday signed an abolition bill that the state legislature passed in January.

“Since our experience has shown that there is no way to design a perfect death penalty system, free from the numerous flaws that can lead to wrongful convictions or discriminatory treatment, I have concluded that the proper course of action is to abolish it,” Mr. Quinn said in a statement. “With our broken system, we cannot ensure justice is achieved in every case.”

Mr. Quinn, a Democrat who became governor in 2009 and was elected to a full term in November, said during the 2010 campaign that he supported the death penalty when applied “carefully and fairly,” but added that “I am deeply concerned by the possibility of an innocent person being executed.” He had kept the question of whether he would sign the bill unanswered since it passed on Jan. 11.

In his statement Wednesday, he said that “for me, this was a difficult decision, quite literally the choice between life and death,” and one that required “deep personal reflection.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/10/us/10illinois.html

[MgtPA]

27. Good.

[fittosurvive]

28. There is no doubt that the death penalty is both sexist and racist, but

this is only a good idea if "for life" means what it says.

After all, an error can still be corrected if one is discovered.

[Tesha]

29. Civilized societies don't execute. Ever. (NT)

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

30. I really hope California can get to this point,

But ballot initiatives probably make it pointless,

[wilt the stilt]

31. Can we have some exceptions

for Limbaugh,O'Reilly, Rove, Hannity and Beck.

[Drale]

33. I'd rather see them rot in prison

at Alcatraz and used as part of the exhibit for the rest of their miserable lives.

P.S. They would be tied up with they mouths taped shut so they could not try to corrupt the tourists.

[JitterbugPerfume]

32. capital punishment is

barbaric . Good for Illinois.

[Kingofalldems]

34. K and R

[Peace Patriot]

35. Best news I've heard in a long time.

Next: The rest of the states.

Then: End our insane "Prohibition" of heroine, cocaine, coca leaves, marijuana and all other such drugs, and the insane, corrupt, murderous, failed U.S. "war on drugs."

Tens of thousands of lives and billions and billions of dollars will be saved by this.

[applegrove]

36. CP brutalizes the citizens who support it too. Not just the supposed

guilty party.

[defendandprotect]

37. Thankful for that -- !!

[midnight]

38. Good...

[nalnn]

39. This

Is not a topic I think about much nor have I studied in any depth. But doesn't this remove a powerful tool from the prosecutor's quiver of negotiation? For example, if the LEOs want to 'know where all the bodies are buried' as it were, the best the can do is life in prison. For some criminals this would not seem to be a bad option as opposed to death.

[AngryAmish]

40. There are still a few arrows in the quiver

There are many prisons in Illinois. Some are better than others. Tamms is a supermax, like Florence in the Federal System or like Marion used to be. You don't want to go there.

Exchange privileges for information.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

42. All those developed countries that don't have the DP (i.e., everybody but the US and Japan)

seem to be doing just fine.

[nalnn]

44. This is true

But I wonder if the comparison should be made. America is a lot more violent a place than many European countries. Wikipedia entry on Capital Punishment

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

45. Don't sell yourself short.

If they can be civilized, you can too.

[nalnn]

46. Hehe

I gotta wonder still though. The trend lately has be more towards barbarism than civilization around here.

[No Elephants]

53. What are you wondering about? If life in prison w/o parole is too much better than death?

If I were a perp, I'd far prefer death.

And if life in prison without possibility of parole is not enough to deter someone from killing, why would lethal injection after 20 years of appeals be enough?

[nalnn]

57. I wonder because I'm curious

I've never been a 'perp' nor would I ever want to be. I honestly don't know which I would prefer. It seems to me a mixed bag among the prison population but again, I don't know.

As to my feelings on the DP? On the one hand, I don't believe in taking a person's life, any person. On the other hand, vengeance aside, I do think that some crimes and some criminals Deserve death. Should the state administer it? Nah, probably not. If only there were a such a thing as reliable, instant karma...

[No Elephants]

52. LOL!

[No Elephants]

55. " For some criminals this would not seem to be a bad option as opposed to death." On what reliable

data or polls did you base that statement?

And even if such criminals do exist, how significant are their numbers?

[nalnn]

59. None

It would appear that you and I are asking the same question about 'how significant are their numbers'.

[AngryAmish]

41. A friend of mine is a lawyer for Nicholas Troy Sheley

Tweaker spree killer from a few years back. I figured he would be breathing s sign of relief, but the Feds still have the death penalty and if there is a guy who needs killing it is this guy. But needing killing and trusting the justice system to do it right in all cases is another thing.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

43. Is his case federalizable? (Is that even a word?)

[AngryAmish]

48. I think he crossed state lines to Mizzu

[No Elephants]

56. "A guy who needs killing" Institutionalized vengeance killing, vs. deterrent?

(Pls see Reply 53.)

No thanks.

[AngryAmish]

58. I'm against the death penalty on moral grounds and the fact that we are incompetent in Illinois

That said, in a total anarchy-type situation, if this guy was nearby I think it would be best if someone killed him.

[udbcrzy2]

47. I wonder how this will effect the prisoners on life right now

Won't those prisoners appeal their sentences to get them reduced based on reducing the death penalty sentence. Maybe they will just start reducing all the sentences like they did years ago. With time off for good behavior, you could brutally murder someone and only serve 12 years. Maybe that will help their financial woes.

[TroglodyteScholar]

51. Well said, Gov.... n/t

[DeadEyeDyck]

54. I live in Florida, about 20 miles from Stark

the home of Old Sparky. A lot different down here.