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* Press release…

In response to the governor’s proposal to bring back state executions, Illinois Senate President John J. Cullerton reminded everyone Monday that scandals, overturned convictions and other systematic problems were why lawmakers abolished the death penalty in Illinois.

“The death penalty should never be used as a political tool to advance one’s agenda. Doing so is in large part why we had so many problems and overturned convictions. That’s why we had bipartisan support to abolish capital punishment,” Cullerton said. “I’ve seen nothing from today’s announcement to suggest that lesson has been learned.”

* Part of a GOP Rep. Alan Skillicorn press release…

Illinois’ death penalty prohibition came about after serious corruption was revealed. That corruption has not been corrected.

* Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin…

“As a former prosecutor, I believe the governor’s recommended changes strike the right balance to reduce senseless gun violence in Chicago and throughout the state. Allowing a prosecutor the option to seek the death penalty in the most horrific and brutal of crimes should be the law of Illinois and sends a message that we support those who wear the badge.”

* Chicago Fraternal Order of Police President Kevin Graham…

“I and the Fraternal Order of Police are grateful for Gov. Rauner’s support in imposing the death penalty in the murder of police officers. This is an added measure of safety for police officers because criminals will think twice about attacking officers when they know they could face the death penalty. This penalty is also a valuable tool for prosecutors.”

* The Question: Setting aside the constitutionality of the governor’s amendatory veto, would you support bringing back the death penalty for any crimes? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.

web survey

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:12 pm

Comments

No.

I don’t believe the state has the moral authority to kill as a punishment.

Easy cases aren’t a moral test. That comes from hard cases.

Comment by crazybleedingheart Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:15 pm
As Skillicorn said, the corruption has not been corrected. There’s no evidence innocent people won’t be killed, or that the penalty will be applied evenly across all demographics.

Comment by Former Downstater Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:16 pm
That one time when John Cullerton and Allan Skillicorn were on the same page …

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:16 pm
To quote the Man in Black, “Death is always true.” But, after reading some studies, it seems the DP is not always a deterrent, hardly ever it seems.
https://deathpenalty.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=000983

Comment by My New Handle Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:20 pm
What Former Downstater said.

Comment by TominChicago Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:20 pm
There have been too many exonerations in this state.

Comment by Keyrock Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:22 pm
Nope. There has been no proof that not having the death penalty has caused any harm in IL, and Rauner trotting out a red-meat issue like this a few months before election time is predictable but not good enough cause to enact the law again.

Comment by FDB Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:24 pm
Killing people who kill people, because killing people is wrong, is wrong. Full stop.

Comment by Perrid Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:25 pm
Life is an unalienable right that no government, especially one led by The Worst Republican Governor in America, should be empowered to take from its citizens.

I’m pro-life at both the moment God creates a new life and when God calls that life home.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:25 pm
No. I agree with both Cullerton and Skillicorn. There is too likely a chance that someone innocent will die.

Comment by Montrose Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:27 pm
After Quincy, there’s no way I’d ever empower Bruce Rauner to handle anything more lethal than a can of Stag.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:31 pm
Voted yes. Would gladly impose the d P on politicians who put forth budgets balanced by billions of dollars of cooperation with the opposition.

Comment by Matt Vernau Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:31 pm
“Surely tells the ideological leanings of your readers.”

I don’t think being pro or anti death penalty is the litmus test you think it is.

Comment by Montrose Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:34 pm
==Surely tells the ideological leanings of your readers==

And exposes narrow-minded readers filled with faulty stereotypes.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:35 pm
===Surely tells the ideological leanings of your readers===

Yeah, somewhere between Skillicorn and Cullerton. Which is why I deleted your inane comment.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:35 pm
The state has a right and duty to protect citizens. Punishment should match the intensity of the crime. When murder that was done deliberately and there is no question of identification there is no other just response from society. Other responses may make us feel better but they are not more just.

Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:36 pm
No. If you have ever been touched by a death penalty case, where you have to sit through appeal after appeal and can never move on, you would understand. Give ‘em life in prison and save our money and sanity instead of fighting for death.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:36 pm
No death penalty for the already stated reasons of bias, corruption, and ineffective deterrence.

Comment by Chicago_Downstater Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:36 pm
Voted no, the state doesn’t deserve the right to kill when it shows on a yearly basis all around this country it puts innocent people to death. This is a no-brainer and anything else is political pandering to the law and order crowd, point blank.

Comment by Stark Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:38 pm
Have to note it when I agree with Sillicorn.

Governor Junk once again prizing politics and dogma over facts.

Comment by MickJ Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:39 pm
I oppose bringing back the death penalty, not because I think it is immoral, but because our criminal justice system is terribly flawed. Innocent people have been arrested, convicted, and even executed. There are no do-overs where the death penalty involved. When we look at the Jeannine Nicarico case, criminal justice was perverted in order to convict somebody, anybody. Until we achieve perfection in criminal justice, we can’t go there again.

Comment by Aldyth Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:39 pm
Voted no. I once was a strong supporter of the death penalty. To me the issue is, are executions justice or are they vengeance? In my opinion executions are vengeance. Vengeance is not for me, or the State to repay.

Comment by SOIL M Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:40 pm
Using the death penalty for votes is despicable. “Vote for me and I’ll kill more [designated scapegoat].” How is this different from human sacrifice?

Comment by Nick Name Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:43 pm
Voted no. Not because I am against the death penalty, because I’m not. If we had it I would throw in some crimes against children as being worthy of it. The problem is too many innocent people being put in jail. Even the chance of putting one innocent person to death is not worth the risk.

Comment by HangingOn Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:48 pm
All it takes is for one innocent person to be killed to make us all murderers.

Comment by Dead Head Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:48 pm
Ah yes, the tens of thousands of people in Illinois jails is a sign that we’re soft on crime. The death penalty is an excuse for those criminals to check out and know that they’ll never be held accountable for their actions, Ron.

Comment by Stark Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:52 pm
Better guilty people live in prison than one innocent person die. Voted no.

Comment by Steve Polite Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:56 pm
Until you can guarantee that an innocent person will never be put to death then absolutely not.

==Illinois is very soft on crime==

And your proof of that is what? Or is this just another one of those “in Ron’s head” scenarios?

Comment by Demoralized Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:56 pm
==Yet violent criminals are released all the time==

Show us that “all the time” proof.

Comment by Demoralized Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:57 pm
No, because of wrongful convictions. Having been arrested for something I didn’t do, although it was quite minor in comparison, it was still a nightmare. My situation was quickly resolved in my favor. Imagine being incarcerated for years and facing execution for something you didn’t do. It’s hard to even imagine the pain and fear, but I caught a very tiny glimpse.

Plus, aren’t wrongful convictions more frequent among African-Americans and others who are poorer? I want to see laws that seek to end sentencing and arrest disparities.

Comment by Grandson of Man Monday, May 14, 18 @ 3:58 pm
No, the judicial system gets it wrong way too often. Ideologically, I am somewhere between Skillicorn and Cullerton.

Comment by SAP Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:00 pm
Ron, Rauner’s AV would not apply to “repeat offenders.”

Comment by TominChicago Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:01 pm
Ron, either stick to the question or stop posting.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:03 pm
Jesus Ron. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Statistics:. “For 2016, the average Murder Rate of Death Penalty states was 5.4, while the average Murder Rate of States without the Death Penalty was 3.9.”

Comment by TominChicago Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:04 pm
I am 110% against the death penalty. We are not God to take anyone’s life. Jesus teaches against eye for an eye so it’s hypocrital of republicans to call themselves christian then to turn around and be for killing people and an eye for an eye.

Second, there is no increase in people killing cops to even justify why Rauner would propose reinstating the death penalty for cop killers. If anything there has been more reports of cops killing innocent black people and other minorities. So it is very insensitive and tone death for a white man to be Governor and not react to any of that but propose cop killers get the death penalty. Its just another example of living under a wicked and oppressive system.

Comment by Real Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:06 pm
I could discuss at length the failures by Illinois when it comes to convictions. Some might find that dry logical response convincing.

However, some issues are simply moral choices. Killing a person who is not an immediate threat is morally wrong.

For me, that’s it. There is no scenario where I could support a return of the death penalty.

Comment by Gooner Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:10 pm
No, for what Cullerton and Skillcorn said.

Cruz was charged, tried, convicted and sentenced to death three times — and there’s no possible way he could have committed the crime.

Has that been fixed?

Comment by wordslinger Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:11 pm
Ron:

The threee states above Illinois all have the death penalty. There are statistics classes that will teach you about correlation. Take one.

Comment by Demoralized Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:11 pm
No. I have sympathy for victims of murder. I haave seen some of the most horrific death penalty criminal recordd in court. But our system of justice is not perfect which resulted in 13 people condemned to die who were proven innocent. The evidence is thin on any deterrent value to the death penalty. Personally, I think it wrong to kill in retribution for killing. Finally, a lifetime in prison is no picnic. Society is better in taking a moral ground on this issue.

Comment by Carl Draper Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:13 pm
There are many cases out there one can look at as arguments as to why we shouldn’t have the death penalty. Individuals who were convicted, sentenced to death and then later exonerated of the crime they were sentenced to death for. There are a lot of people convinced that Texas executed an innocent man in Cameron Todd Willingham.

Comment by Demoralized Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:14 pm
I do not support bringing back the death penalty.

Skillicorn is correct that the corruption that led to the bipartisan abolition of capital punishment has not been corrected.

Cullerton is correct when he observes that he’s seen nothing to suggest that the lesson about that corruption has been learned.

Comment by thunderspirit Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:14 pm
I voted ‘no.’ I don’t think it’s an effective deterrent and distracts from actually addressing the issues or furthering the debate. I do think it’s very effective politics.

Comment by Earnest Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:15 pm
YES if you murder any first responder and exhaust all your appeals then you need to be put to death. Again just my opinion.

Comment by Board Watcher Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:15 pm
I wonder if Rauner has any clue about the history of the death penalty in Illinois. He seems to be desperate to look like a strong and decisive leader. Instead he looks weak and out of touch. Also, it’s a really small point but when you stand in front of a bank of microphones and suggest that the state resume the practice of killing convicted murderers, can you wear a suit and tie? This isn’t the patio at Michigan Shores talking about a game of platform tennis. Look up the word gravitas.

Comment by Trapped in the ‘burbs Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:15 pm
No death penalty. Too many mistakes are made in our criminal justice system.

Comment by Enviro Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:15 pm
I voted no. Our criminal justice system is archaic enough as it is.

Comment by Dome Gnome Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:17 pm
Yes. Besides mass killers and cop killers, how about killers of DCFS case workers? Too long to put all the citations here, but between 1962 and 1990 (no IL executions from 1963 to 1989) correctional officers were killed on a regular basis. Since 1990? None. Another question for another day would be Death Penalty or Tamms?

Comment by Smitty Irving Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:17 pm
=== because criminals will think twice about attacking officers when they know they could face the death penalty ===

Hey, FOP, news flash for ya: anyone who fires on a police officer is already facing instant death. Heck, the police have been known to kill people for a lot less than attacking them, and that still has not detered people from doing stuff ranging from high speed chases to selling cigarettes.

You honestly think some criminal is gonna decide not to fire at police — not out of fear the police might shoot back — but because they are worried the police might actually track them down, arrest them, find witnesses, convict them at trial, and then in 8 years stick a needle in their arm?

You really don’t understand how law enforcement works.

Comment by Thomas Paine Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:20 pm
I voted no, not because I am opposed to death penalty, but because how it was unfairly applied in Illinois.

Comment by SW Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:20 pm
—-Illinois had the fourth highest homicide rate in 2016. No death penalty.

What about 2015 and most other years?

Illinois is generally in the middle of the pack in murder rate and on average the rate of murder has declined since abolition. Abolition probably had little to nothing to do with the average decline to be clear, but you appear confused by statistics.

Comment by ArchPundit Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:22 pm
And no to reinstatement of the death penalty. While I’m against it on principle, before we even get to that argument, there is no evidence of effectiveness and plenty of evidence the system makes too many mistakes.

Comment by ArchPundit Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:24 pm
=====Demoralized, I could care less about correlation. Someone else brought up states with or without the death penalty. I just noted illinois has the 4th highest homicide rate without the death penalty

The first part of this statement is inconsistent with the second part, Ron. If you are pointing towards something as a correlation, it would suggest strongly that you do care about correlation.

Comment by ArchPundit Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:25 pm
Voted no because I am opposed to the concept of the death penalty itself.

But I do know that it has made the job of state’s attorneys much harder now that they can’t offer a “no death penalty” bargain for a guilty plea.

Comment by m Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:31 pm
Death penalty for killing cops is not going to deter anyone that really wants to kill a cop. I believe the person rather be dead than spending a life in prison for the crime.

Comment by Real Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:32 pm
–The first part of this statement is inconsistent with the second part, Ron. If you are pointing towards something as a correlation, it would suggest strongly that you do care about correlation.–

Ron’s not a fresh-off-the-assembly-line Bot.

For example, Ron claims that most Chicago homicides are committed by repeat offenders.

As most Chicago homicides go unsolved, there’s no possible way to make that claim.

But Ron is a big Emanuel Bot, nonetheless. Rauner, too. Rahm and Bruce went in on him at a flea market on Tatooine.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/murder-clearance-rate-in-chicago-hit-new-low-in-2017/

Comment by wordslinger Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:33 pm
=Allowing a prosecutor the option to seek the death penalty in the most horrific and brutal of crimes . . . =

And those are exactly the kinds of crimes in the investigation of which police and prosecutors cut corners and engage in the kind of behavior that has resulted in so many exonerations.

Comment by JoanP Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:35 pm
Rauner is as souless as I thought for him to propose reinstating the death penalty even though the criminal justice system is broken. This is the first time I’m not hearing Rauner saying something is broken but others on both sides are.

Comment by Real Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:36 pm
I am a former prosecutor who always believed that there were crimes that deserved the ultimate punishment. But there have been too many death penalty convictions that have been overturned, not because of a technicality, but because it has been shown that the individual(s) did not commit the crime. Until it can be shown that mistakes will not be made, I cannot, in good conscience, vote to reimpose the death penalty.

Comment by Retired SURS Employee Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:44 pm
We have a tendency of convicting innocent people. Especially innocent black men.

We’ve also got well documented examples of police torturing folks to get false convictions.

I’m not really sure we’re ready to get back to the idea that the state can establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the person we’re killing isn’t innocent.

Comment by Anon Monday, May 14, 18 @ 4:47 pm
–Repeat offenders are a big problem in Chicago. The death penalty is appropriate for them.–

Repeat offenders of what, Ron, should be executed?

Comment by wordslinger Monday, May 14, 18 @ 5:03 pm
I voted yes. John Wayne Gacy was clearly guilty of horrific crimes.

Can Illinois develop a system that is harsh but fair? I doubt it. So, until the system changes we should not bother with it.

For Rauner this is another distraction from his many failures.

Comment by Last Bull Moose i Monday, May 14, 18 @ 5:06 pm
DOC can’t buy gas, just think if they had to buy drugs for an execution.

Comment by Huh? Monday, May 14, 18 @ 5:09 pm
Voted “No.” When each impoverished criminal defendant is entitled to the Dream Team of lawyers OJ Simson had, I’ll reconsider. The system is flawed. Too few good lawyers. And those that are out there are mostly unaffordable. Public defenders are overworked and under paid. Should I go on?

Comment by Cook County Commoner Monday, May 14, 18 @ 5:19 pm
No, never. This is just a desperate attempt to revive Rauner’s failing campaign.

Comment by Wensicia Monday, May 14, 18 @ 5:21 pm
Voted yes. Scares me a bit to see whom I am in agreement with. I just think mass murderers and cop killers earn the death penalty.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, May 14, 18 @ 5:26 pm
Timothy McVeigh. John Wayne Gacy and the creep that killed Commander Bauer—-absolutely. Not for everybody. Just the depraved. Finally someone standing up for the Police.

Comment by 19th ward guy Monday, May 14, 18 @ 5:27 pm
Nope. Absolutely not. This is political pandering at its worst. Setting aside the moral and ethical arguments that I find compelling for eliminating the death penalty, there is no scientific evidence that having a death penalty deters crime. There is plenty of evidence that sentencing people to death is a waste of resources and can lead to irreversible errors, also known as the state-sanctioned killing of innocent people. Plus, we often see the death penalty applied inconsistently across the board, where people of color are more likely to be sentenced to die than their white counterparts. Illinois is on the right side of history here. No reason to go backward.

Comment by pawn Monday, May 14, 18 @ 5:29 pm
My best friend was murdered my senior year of high school.

I gave the eulogy. I carried his casket.

We had the death penalty then.

I am glad it was abolished.

Mr. Rauner’s effort to leverage tragic grief into sympathy for himself at the ballot box is demented.

If he cared about stopping school shootings, he wouldn’t be squeezing school district budget and to force them to chose between text books and social workers.

If Bruce Rauner cared about addressing the root causes of violence, he’d be confronting the challenges at DCFS instead of burying them.

If Bruce Rauner cared about our men in blue, he would have done better than a canned speech at the fallen police officers memorial recently.

It tells every family who is grieving for a loved one or fearful for their kid’s safety everything they need to know when the gun lobby endorses Rauner’s gun bill without even reading it. They probably wrote it.

Comment by Ruben James Monday, May 14, 18 @ 5:36 pm
–George Ryan trying to save his ass was the main reason we lost death penalty.–

Actually, the GA passed a repeal bill that was signed by Quinn. You can look it up.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, May 14, 18 @ 5:55 pm
I have several reasons for opposing the death penalty that mirror what’s been said here, and one that is based on a vivid personal experience. When I was a college kid working as a reporter for the school’s radio station, I traveled to an Indiana prison where demonstrations were taking place preceding an execution. The anti-execution crowd spoke softly and welcomed conversation. The pro-execution people, many of them skinheads, were screaming to the point of throwing spittle. I asked myself which group I’d want to be associated with.

Comment by yinn Monday, May 14, 18 @ 6:09 pm
No…for many of the stated reasons.I can’t let this go without noting Rauner pandering to his shaky far right. Will be so glad when he is gone.

Comment by wondering Monday, May 14, 18 @ 6:14 pm
“Actually, the GA passed a repeal bill that was signed by Quinn. You can look it up.”

Didn’t Ryan commute all of the death row sentences to life imprisonment 2 days before the end of his term in office? It was seen widely as an attempt to resurrect his tattered reputation.

Comment by Huh? Monday, May 14, 18 @ 6:17 pm
Also didn’t Ryan declare a moratorium on death sentences in 2000? The commutation of the death sentences was an extension of the moratorium. The GA passing the legislation and Quinn signing the bill 11 years later merely codified an executive decision made by Ryan.

https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/illinois-governor-signs-bill-ending-death-penalty-marking-fewest-states-capital-punishment-1978

Comment by Huh? Monday, May 14, 18 @ 6:26 pm
Huh, all those things are true. But laws are much different than “executive decisions” by a governor.

Prosecutors were still pursuing death penalty cases before the law was repealed.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, May 14, 18 @ 6:32 pm
Ron, the state as a much higher obligation to protect innocent life including people wrongfully convicted.

Comment by Steve Polite Monday, May 14, 18 @ 6:48 pm
I voted no.
Any one of the reasons others have cited is enough to get rid of it.
* It’s an ineffective deterrent
* There’s massive evidence of ongoing racism in law enforcement
* The high rate of overturned convictions shows the state can’t be trusted
* It’s morally questionable

I’d love to hear good arguments for it, but nobody’s offering those

Comment by Odysseus Monday, May 14, 18 @ 7:20 pm
I voted yes, but with caveats. The penalty should apply on to cases of most heinous crimes. It should not be based on the authority status of the victim, but on the victim’s ability of defense. Politicians, police and others of authority deserve no more judicial protection that the rest of society. Violent crimes against children, the elderly or physically or mentally disabled should be eligible. These are the only “special” status as anyone who commits violence against them are less than human in my opinion.

I believe that the level of scrutiny for a death penalty conviction should be beyond reproach and need reviewed by the State Supreme Court before the conviction is final. The conduct of the prosecution and defense must be stellar and leave no doubt of the process.

For the reasons the Governor suggested, I disagree with him.

Comment by FormerParatrooper Monday, May 14, 18 @ 7:23 pm
Voted No.

Wake me up when they fix all the glaring holes in criminal justice. Also, this plan will inevitably fall apart when IDOC gets stretched to its max by the funding issues (allegedly can’t afford gas…probably won’t be able to afford the drugs, etc.)

Plus, the first time there IS an innocent person executed, you know good and well IL residents are going to be up in arms at the inevitable lawsuit and settlement.

Just leave it alone.

Comment by SouthSide to Spfld Monday, May 14, 18 @ 7:25 pm
Rauner points out two circumstances for which I strongly support the death penalty. I believe that knowing if you kill a law enforcement member you will get the death penalty can deter. Do you believe that John Wayne Gacy should have been put to death by the state? I do. Eichmann? what about if Hitler or Bin Laden had been captured? The state can and should have the power to eliminate monsters. (that’s what war is often about too, another power of the government.) I’m still haunted by a case from decades ago in Cook County. a man threw a baby and a child of about two from an upper floor of a back porch of the apartment where his girlfriend lived. they hit the ground and died. Monster. Ryan let go everyone on death row without regard to facts. Wrong.

Comment by Amalia Monday, May 14, 18 @ 7:26 pm
I’m opposed to the death penalty in principle. And I also find it dehumanizing to suggest that a cop’s life is somehow more valuable than that of anyone a cop him/herself might kill illegally.

Comment by Yooper in Diaspora Monday, May 14, 18 @ 7:27 pm
==And I also find it dehumanizing to suggest that a cop’s life is somehow more valuable than that of anyone a cop him/herself might kill illegally.==

I agree.

Comment by Wensicia Monday, May 14, 18 @ 7:33 pm
On January 13, 2014 I lost my stepdaughter to murder leaving my wife and I to raise her two kids (5 months and 20 months old at the time)
I voted no and I mean that absolutely.
In my thoughts there has never been the desire for the ultimate revenge of killing the perpetrator. (who is doing 60 years without parole in IDOC) To me there seems to be no more “justice” - whatever the hell “justice” actually is - served by the death penalty. The criminal phase of the whole thing is over now. I can’t imagine having the energy or the wherewithal to attend appeals hearings and continue the burdensome process for years and years to get an execution. It is too much. I’ve learned to be satisfied where things are at and let it go.

train111

Comment by train111 Monday, May 14, 18 @ 7:40 pm
Voted ‘No’. According to the Bible: “Thou shall not kill.” That includes the government.

Comment by Mama Monday, May 14, 18 @ 7:42 pm
Yes … but only for politicians who fail to follow their oath of office and do their job.

My reasoning is a follows: political office holders, especially those in leadership and executive positions, can cause far reaching and long lasting effects to large amounts of the population if they fail to do their job. Most other criminals, unless you are a Bernie Madoff, only affect a few people.

In the alternative, I would be happy to see life without parole …

Comment by RNUG Monday, May 14, 18 @ 7:55 pm
“But laws are much different than “executive decisions” by a governor.”
The succeeding governors didn’t overturn Ryan’s decision.

Comment by Huh? Monday, May 14, 18 @ 8:04 pm
The cynic in me sees this as a weak attempt by BVR to win back Ives voters. Sorry Bruce, unapologetically pro-life means just that.

Comment by Silent cynic Monday, May 14, 18 @ 8:06 pm
Yes. Illinois has one of the highest murder rates in the country. Only 27 other states have a higher rate.

Comment by Steve Monday, May 14, 18 @ 8:22 pm
No.
There are cases where my heart yearns for the death penalty. But the evidence is overwhelming that our actual system of justice falls short of any reasonable standard of fairness.

Comment by Ebenezer Monday, May 14, 18 @ 8:27 pm
–Yes, Illinois has one of the highest murder rates in the country. Only 27 other states have a higher rate—

So this is a math riddle, right??

Comment by Mike K Monday, May 14, 18 @ 8:37 pm
Voted yes.

Comment by BlueDogDem Monday, May 14, 18 @ 8:38 pm
Ron, are you being deliberately obtuse? If you are for the death penalty, then you are willing to accept that innocent people wrongly convicted will be executed.

No matter how many protections are put in place. The criminal justice system will never be perfect. Innocent people will continue to be convicted of crimes they did not commit.

Comment by Steve Polite Monday, May 14, 18 @ 8:42 pm
Voted no for many of the reasons already stated. Regardless of what his motivations may have been, Ryan did the right thing. I believe he deserves credit for taking that stand.

Comment by Former Hillrod Monday, May 14, 18 @ 8:45 pm
Voted no. Simply stated, that’s not our job.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, May 14, 18 @ 9:15 pm
Based on your response I can only surmise you are willing to allow innocent people who are wrongly convicted to be executed because Illinois had the fourth highest homocide rate.

Comment by Steve Polite Monday, May 14, 18 @ 9:18 pm
== the level of scrutiny for a death penalty conviction should be beyond reproach and need reviewed by the State Supreme Court before the conviction is final. ==

Maybe OASD could be expanded to cover that function also. There may even be some overlap since it is their mission to defend indignent people.

Comment by RNUG Monday, May 14, 18 @ 9:41 pm
Voted no. Not even a close call. It does not deter crime, so there is no legitimate justification.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, May 14, 18 @ 10:32 pm
I do not think that this plan would work. Too much time and resources spent on lengthy appeals and to make sure no evidence supports acquittal. Besides, I think today’s statement is a political move more than anything else.

Comment by Ross Brown Monday, May 14, 18 @ 10:37 pm
==Yes. Illinois has one of the highest murder rates in the country. Only 27 other states have a higher rate.==

What does the murder rate have to do with anything? The only way use the murder rate in an argument is relevant is if you are insinuating that the death penalty has an effect on the murder rate. Apparently we need remedial statistics courses around here to teach you all about the concept of correlation because you clearly we clearly have a lack of intelligence around here about it.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, May 15, 18 @ 7:39 am
I voted “no”.

The death penalty, while richly deserved by some convicted murderers, evokes too many emotional and almost romantic notions that somehow turn these monsters into victims. Put them in prison and forget about them.

It also sickens me that a politician is willing to stir up these strong emotions from victims of murders for purely political reasons.

Not impressed that the F.O.P. got in line with what is obviously pure politics. We don’t need that.

Last: while I am not in favor of the death penalty and it may not deter crime, I actually have no problem with “revenge” or retribution being a legitimate reason for society to impose the death penalty. Why? Because the family and friends of a murdered person should feel reassured that the government, or society will find the person responsible for the murder and punish him for his crime severely. This lessons the necessity for family members to engage in vigilantism- or as we call it now, The Cycle Of Violence.

The lack of confidence that police and the courts will deal with offenders is why the violence is so far out of control. Family and friends of victims take it into their own hands.

Comment by Freezeup Tuesday, May 15, 18 @ 9:19 am
–The death penalty, while richly deserved by some convicted murderers, evokes too many emotional and almost romantic notions that somehow turn these monsters into victims.–

What are you talking about? There’s nothing romantic about it. Illinois proved “beyond all doubt” that it could not be trusted with the death penalty because there were people on death row who had been charged, tried, convicted and sentenced who could not have committed the crimes.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, May 15, 18 @ 9:33 am
Poorly explained on my part. Apologies. Yes, innocent people convicted,sentenced and put to death and it’s shameful.

When someone is sentenced to death, their story becomes more interesting. People naturally wonder if they are really innocent even if the evidence is overwhelming . I prefer that the guilty go away for life, are forgotten and the victims are the ones remembered.

Comment by Freezeup Tuesday, May 15, 18 @ 11:39 am
Simple. see Romans 12:19

Comment by Plainfield liberal Tuesday, May 15, 18 @ 1:33 pm
Yes i was key whitness for the city of Chgo and the killer is now on the streets to shoot and kill again. I was was under police protection after my life was under threat Only takes one bullet to kill yess i testified and the bumb was out in a few years just a slap on the hand je needed the chair and i would have pulled the switch and I am a woman

Comment by Psyche Monday, May 21, 18 @ 6:17 pm