Death Penalty Opponents    Your Reaction

Ask Madigan To Drop Challenge To Death Row Commutations

A group of death penalty opponents is asking Attorney General Lisa Madigan to stop her lawsuit challenging the commutation of 32 death row inmates' sentences. The inmates were among the 167 people removed from death row in January when former Governor George Ryan issued a blanket commutation. In September, Madigan asked the state Supreme Court to overturn 32 of the commutations for a variety of reasons. She said some of the men were not eligible for clemency because they had not sought it. She also said others technically were not facing the death penalty because their sentences had been vacated and lower courts were reconsidering their cases.

The group of death penalty opponents delivered a petition yesterday signed by about 500 people for Madigan.

A Madigan spokeswoman says the issue is in the hands of the state Supreme Court.

(source: Associated Press)

State asked to drop Death Row suit

Group lobbies attorney general    Your Reaction

Saying a return to Death Row would amount to "psychological torture," a group of death penalty opponents asked state Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan Monday to halt her lawsuit challenging the commutation of 32 death row inmates.

"Let's not turn back now," said Robin Thompkins, whose father, Willie, is among the men named in Madigan's lawsuit. "Many, such as my father, have maintained a plea of innocence and have yet to be heard."

The inmates were among the 167 people removed from death row in January when former Gov. George Ryan issued a blanket commutation.

In September, Madigan asked the state Supreme Court to overturn 32 of the commutations for a variety of reasons. Some of the men, she said, were not eligible for clemency because they had not sought it. Others technically were not facing the death penalty because their sentences had been vacated and lower courts were reconsidering their cases, she said.

At a news conference Monday, members of the group opposing Madigan's lawsuit said the Supreme Court could rule soon on the matter. The group delivered a petition signed by about 500 people for Madigan, along with a letter from former death row inmate Renaldo Hudson, who is among the 32 men named in Madigan's suit.

"We believe that sending even one person back to Death Row would be nothing short of psychological torture and would only serve to deepen the wounds of victims and the prisoners' family members even more," Hudson wrote.

Hudson, a convicted murderer, described the death-penalty process in Illinois as being "clearly broken," and wrote that sending him and others back to death row would be "a tragedy and another dreadful day in Illinois."

Rev. Jesse Jackson, who was at the news conference, urged abolishing the death penalty in Illinois, saying the system is rife with corruption and racism.

"The risk of killing the innocent is too great," Jackson said. "Even for the guilty, the revenge and retribution is no solution to those who have lost their lives."

Madigan was not in her office Monday, but her spokeswoman, Melissa Merz, said the issue is in the hands of the state Supreme Court.

"By agreeing to hear the case, the court signaled its interest in addressing the issues involved," Merz said. "The Supreme Court is the only body that can ultimately resolve the legality of former Gov. Ryan's actions regarding clemency."

Thompkins, whose father was convicted in 1980 of killing 2 men in Cook County, said she has compassion for victims' families, but said the death penalty is not the solution.

"We believe that if you commit a crime, you should suffer the consequences," she said. "We just don't think those consequences should be death."

Kim Hobley, whose husband, Madison, spent 16 years on death row before he was pardoned, said that if Madigan's lawsuit is successful, it will set back in motion a "death machine" that could kill innocent people along with the guilty.

"What value does killing teach?" Hobley said.

(source: Chicago Tribune)