Illinois poised to abolish death penalty

[somone]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70A6G920110111

Illinois poised to abolish death penalty
By Mary Wisniewski

(Reuters) - Illinois was poised to become the first U.S. state since 2009 to abolish the death penalty after the state Senate on Tuesday approved the ban and sent it to Democratic Governor Pat Quinn for his signature. The Senate vote came after House approval late last week. The Senate vote was 32-25.

Illinois has not executed anyone for more than a decade after former Republican Gov. George Ryan imposed a moratorium on the death penalty in January 2000 following a series of revelations that more than a dozen people had been sent to Death Row who were later found to be innocent.

State Sen. Kwame Raoul, the current measure's sponsor, said that too many mistakes had been made in Illinois that sent innocent people to death row. "We have an historic opportunity... to join the civilized world and end this practice of risking putting to death innocent people," Raoul said before the vote.

Governor Pat Quinn's spokeswoman, Annie Thompson, said the governor is planning to review the legislation once it arrives at his desk. Quinn has said he supports the death penalty for the worst crimes, but would keep the moratorium in place, according to local media reports. State Sen. Jeffrey Schoenberg, a Democrat who supported the ban, said he believes Quinn will "likely sign" the ban...

[aikoaiko]

1. Even as a death penalty supporter, I support the will of the Illinois people on this matter.

[FiveGoodMen]

2. Good idea.

Some people DO deserve the penalty (IMO) but some get it when they don't (indeed when they are completely innocent).

The DP is bad public policy. Protects no one. Inclines society toward revenge rather than justice.

[frazzled]

3. I am very proud of my state today.

I have always opposed the death penalty, and will continue to do so with all my heart. I do not believe that the state should take a life in cold blood, no matter how heinous the crime. Not even for the Arizona shooter.

This has real-world ramifications for some of us. A few years ago I was called for jury duty to criminal court. My panel was called, along with several others, to voir-dire in a case the judge described to as a "Murder in the First Degree." I thought, no way can I sit on this jury -- until I remembered Illinois had a moratorium on the death penalty. Indeed, the judge said it would not involve the death penalty. That cleared up, I could think of no reason why I couldn't serve fairly. Though I was hugely relieved when the jury was filled just before my panel was called to the stand for questioning!