Gov. George Ryan on Monday proposed legislation based on his commission’s high-profile package of death penalty reforms, but lawmakers are expected to put off a vote until after the November election.
Ryan’s commission proposed 85 changes last month, including banning executions of the mentally retarded, barring the death penalty solely based on the testimony of a jailhouse snitch and reducing the type of crimes in which someone is eligible to be put to death.
“It is imperative that we move forward on all of the commission’s recommendations to fix our broken justice system,” said Ryan, who placed a moratorium on executions in January 2000.
But Senate President James “Pate” Philip (R-Wood Dale) said the legislation should be studied during summer hearings. House lawmakers also plan hearings. Philip particularly expressed reservations about reducing the type of crimes for which someone could be executed.
“You have about 20 opportunities for the death penalty,” Philip said. “He’s just erased 15 of them. I don’t agree with the 15 erased off.”
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Sen. Ed Petka (R-Plainfield), a former Will County state’s attorney, said he would introduce a separate capital punishment package pushed by prosecutors.
Cook County State’s Atty. Richard Devine, a Democrat, said he was disappointed Ryan submitted the report to the legislature, noting the commission ended up with only one prosecutor and no sworn police officers. “It was certainly not representative in my view of all of the law enforcement components in the state,” Devine said.
Devine will lobby lawmakers in his capacity as state’s attorney and as current president of the Illinois State’s Attorneys Association. He said some proposals, such as videotaping interrogations and police lineups, require more study.
Senate Minority Leader Emil Jones (D-Chicago), one of the upper chamber’ssponsors of the proposal, maintained the governor is courageous for showing leadership on the death penalty issue and a vote should be taken on the legislation before he leaves office.
“This is something we don’t want to rush to judgment on,” Jones said, “but by the same token it’s a very, very important report when you are dealing with the lives of citizens.”