Governor Assails System’s Errors as He Empties Illinois Death Row
Illinois Govenor George Ryan commuted the sentance of all death row inmates yesterday to life in prison and, for a few, less. This comes after Illinois found itself in the position of conducting 12 executions while exonerated 13 death row inmates, one of whom came within 48 hours of the electric chair. Reform was needed but wasn’t happening. I don’t see where Govenor Ryan had much choice but to do as he did.
While I’m sure that a number of those whose sentances were commuted really deserved death coming to them given the record I’m certain that at least one or two of them were at most innocent of the crimes they were charged with and at least not deserving of the death penalty. Blaming the commutation of sentances of the bad ones on Gov. Ryan alone is inappropriate. Reform was called for and reform didn’t come. The blame has to be placed squarly on the shoulders of those who blocked the reform.
General | Larry Burton | 12 January 2003 |
