Death Penalty Meets Its End in Illinois

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Death Penalty Meets Its End in Illinois

illinois.gov

Gov. Quinn gives a news conference Wednesday about his decision to end the death penalty in Illinois.

Although not everyone was happy with his decision, including some Democrats, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn put the kibosh on capital punishment with a new state law Wednesday. Only 34 more states to go. —KA

Watch Gov. Quinn explain his decision in a video after the excerpt below.

Reuters via Google News:

When the law signed by Democratic Governor Pat Quinn takes effect on July 1, Illinois will become the fourth state in the past two years to dispense with the death penalty after New York, New Jersey and New Mexico.

“To have a consistent, perfect death penalty system ... that’s impossible in our state,” Quinn told reporters. “I think it’s the right and just thing to abolish the death penalty and punish those who commit heinous crimes—evil people—with life in prison without parole and no chance of release.”

The ultimate punishment will remain an option in 34 states and for federal inmates. No other Western democracies carries out executions.

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By Lafayette, March 12, 2011 at 12:26 am Link to this comment

PLAYING CATCH-UP

The death penalty has been banned in most developed countries. America is not one of them.

Which places Uncle Sam on a par with Libya, Saudi Arabia, Burma, China and Iran. Great company!

Have a look here.

Let’s hang our heads in shame, fellow troglodytes, we are still playing catch-up.

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By Atlanta Roofing, March 11, 2011 at 12:14 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Then they’d better do things right if they are going to
condemn people to death. Of course, real effort takes
time and, far far worse, MONEY. It’s cheaper to send
‘em to the chair, needle, oven, whatever in some cases.
Everything today is about doing things cheaper; not
taking the time to do a good job or even admitting
fault

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By gerard, March 10, 2011 at 8:22 pm Link to this comment

Congratulations to Illinois!

STOP THE EXECUTION OF TROY DAVIS. STOP TORTURING BRADLEY MANNING. CLOSE GUANTANAMO. REFORM ALL PRISONS AND GET RID OF PRIVATIZATION WHICH REALLY
BOILS DOWN TO MAKING PROFITS AT THE EXPENSE OF JUSTICE.

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By Not One More!, March 10, 2011 at 3:54 pm Link to this comment

I applaud Gov. Quinn’s decision, the death penalty is never carried out in a just manner.

But more important, the basic premise of a government carrying out the death penalty is contrary to achieving a just and compassionate society. It creates many more people who are involved with the death penalty process, from the prison guards, to the jury and judges, to witnesses, who will then have blood on their hands, and creates more feelings of hate.

It doesn’t mean that you don’t ‘feel’ that a person who harmed an innocent member of society should be punished and killed (that is still a valid emotion), it just means that we as a society will not act like barbarians who still believe in an eye for an eye.

‘An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.’ Gandhi

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