Illinois Governor Debates Death Row Commutations

Photo credit: Office of the Illinois Governor

In January of 2000, Illinois Governor George Ryan imposed a moratorium on executions in his state, in response to growing public shock over the exoneration of thirteen innocent death row inmates. At that time, the governor ordered a full study of the capital punishment system in Illinois, saying “The system is fraught with error.”

Now, Governor Ryan debates the questions: Can we be sure that any of Illinois’ 160 death row inmates received that sentence under a just and fair system? Is it worth the risk to execute knowing how close we came to killing men who were wrongly convicted?

The governor, whose term of office ends next month, is waiting to see the results of clemency hearings currently being held in Illinois before he answers those troubling questions.

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Photo by Sheron Norman, AP Photo

The Moratorium Campaign Responds to Arrest of Sniper Suspects

For weeks now, the news coverage on sniper suspects John Muhammad and stepson John Lee Malvo have focused on the efforts to garner a quick death sentence for both. Now, The Moratorium Campaign explains why, when we call for justice in this case, we must be ever aware that the death penalty systems in this country are fraught with error and bias.

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New! "The Death Penalty is Unjust" T-shirt
The perfect way to voice your feelings about the death penalty and the need for a moratorium. Back of shirt quotes Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., "Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere."

• White with black lettering. Sizes S,M,L,XL,XXL
• Black with white lettering. Sizes S,M,L,XL

What is The Moratorium Campaign?

The death penalty has failed as a public policy experiment. Innocent people are being sent to death row. It is applied with severe racial and economic bias. We are executing juveniles and the mentally retarded. And it is much more expensive than a life without parole sentence.

Prudence demands that we stop executions and conduct a comprehensive review of the system. The Moratorium Campaign is calling for an immediate moratorium on executions so that these serious questions about the application of the death penalty can be reviewed.

Join Sr. Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking, and The Moratorium Campaign in this fight for fairness and social justice by going to our 'Take Action' section. It is time to STOP, and rethink the death penalty.

View streaming video of Sister Helen

news and
announcements

12/2/2002
Death Penalty Opponent Senator Kerry to Make 2004 Presidential Bid

11/25/2002
Nebraska Death Penalty Bill Gets Final OK

11/20/2002
Supreme Court to Rule On Ineffective Lawyers – The Moratorium Campaign Responds

11/16/2002
Maryland Governor-Elect To Rescind Execution Moratorium

11/4/2002
Famed Sister Calls for Abolishing Death Penalty

11/1/2002
Death Penalty a Deterrent? South Has Highest Murder Rate - And Highest Rate of Executions.

10/29/2002
Gallup Chairman Says Sniper Shootings Do Not Affect Support For Death Penalty

10/21/2002
US Court of Appeals Will Consider Validity of Judge's Death Penalty Ruling

10/21/2002
Divided Court Refuses to Take Case on Execution of Minors

10/13/2002
Poll says Illinoisans are split on idea of commuting all death sentences

10/1/2002
Court to Review Death Penalty Cases

9/24/2002
Another Judge Rules Federal Death Penalty Unconstitutional

9/24/2002
Petitions Send Message to Congress: Pass the Innocence Protection Act

9/13/2002
Delaware Court Halts Death Penalty Trials

8/28/2002
Another Innocent Victim Narrowly Escapes -- U.S. Judicial System in Crisis

8/19/2002
Dignity Denied: Bias Against Victims' Family Members Who Oppose the Death Penalty

8/16/2002
Capital Punishment Crimps Foreign Policy - Mexican President Cancels Visit

8/12/2002
Rosalynn Carter Calls for Halt to Executions

6/23/2002
Strike Two: Supreme Court Says Again: Death Penalty Unconstitutional

6/20/2002
Strike One: Supreme Court Finds Death Penalty Unconstitutional

4/9/2002
100th Innocent Death Row Inmate Exonerated!


We Become What We Hate: Murder Victims' Families and the Death Penalty

• Prepaid cell phones
• Caskets
• TheLadders
• Your best bet in Myrtle Beach Resort

8/12/2002
Deadly Decisions - New NPR Radio Documentary

4/20/2001
Victims' Race Affects Decisions on Killers' Sentence, Study Finds

9/22/2000
States With No Death Penalty Share Lower Homicide Rates

4/30/2000
To Remember His Daughter, Father Speaks Out Against Death Penalty

4/8/2000
Pat Robertson Backs Death Penalty Halt