[psych-hr] Largest commutation of death sentences in modern U.S. history

Jan. 11, 2003 ­ Gov. George H. Ryan of Illinois today announced he is
commuting the death sentences of 156 people, primarily to life in prison.
The move empties Illinois' death row and marks the largest commutation by a
governor in modern United States history.

This announcement comes at the end of a long process of deliberation for
Ryan, who declared a moratorium on executions in 2000 because of concerns
over possible innocence cases. Since 1976, the state of Illinois has
executed 12 people, but seen 13 people walk free from death row due to
actual innocence.

"This is a watershed moment, a turning point in the debate over capital
punishment in the United States," said Steven W. Hawkins, executive
director of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. "We
applaud Gov. Ryan for his courage and leadership in making this decision.
He recognized fundamental flaws in Illinois' death penalty and determined
that a system so prone to error has no place in determining who lives and
who dies."

The Illinois Commission on Capital Punishment, which Ryan created after
declaring the moratorium, issued 85 recommendations aimed at preventing the
execution of innocent people. These recommendations included requiring that
lawyers who represent clients in capital cases be better qualified;
requiring that interrogations be videotaped; limiting testimony from prison
informers; and not basing a death sentence on a single eyewitness. The
Illinois Legislature recently refused to enact the Commission's
recommendations.

"The Illinois Legislature left Governor Ryan with little choice but to act
as he did," Hawkins said. "The question now is, will other states take
notice? The same problems that exist in Illinois certainly exist in Texas,
Florida, Missouri, Oklahoma, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina and
the other states that most frequently put people to death."

Hawkins added that as state legislatures convene for their 2003 sessions,
now is the time to debate moratorium legislation as well as bills that
would establish death penalty commissions, similar to the Illinois Commission.

"In the coming legislative sessions, lawmakers have a responsibility to
wake up to the reality of flawed death penalty statutes," Hawkins said.
"Illinois is not alone on this issue. Innocent people are being sent to
death row and it is beyond time to acknowledge the fundamental flaws with
the death penalty, particularly in the diminishing number of states that
are executing people."


NCADP Press Release
Contact: David Elliot, NCADP Communications Director
202-543-9577, ext. 16
cell: 202-607-7036
delliot@ncadp.org www.ncadp.org





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