Latest idea from the disgrace who brought such wonders as the license for bribes scandal and the Illinois justice system from hell.

Well now that he has noticed a big error, he has decided to "fix" it with a bigger one. I bet the rapists and murders are dancing and cheering about now.



An Article

My thoughts exactly.

What do you think?
Is the system half this bad in other states? Why does the governor have this much power? How can the power be returned to the people and the courts?

I am outraged about Ryan's decision's to let these murderers go free. I can't imagine how the families of the victims feel. To me it is giving a message to others go to Illinois to rape or kill. There is a governor who will let you go to do it again. Thank God he is gone after Monday. Heaven only knows what else he would of done that is utterly mind boggling.

He was not my governor so I can't speak of other issues. But the surface material I have heard about the errors and corruption that helped get some of these executions was frightening.

Now I am not a death penalty supporter so I am tentatively in favor of the blanket commutation given the circumstances. I would hope that if he felt the mass commutation was necessary at least one convicted murderer would have to be let free. (not on ceremony but because their was proof of improper procedures in gaining the convictions)

It should be said, that this governor did not pardon these murderers. He commuted their sentences to life imprisonment, so its not like he sent these people back out on the streets. He did pardon, I believe the number was 4, people who's confessions were tortured out of them by the police. Also, not being from Illinois, I have very little knowledge of his overall performance as governor. But being primarily against state sponsored killing, I have to grant my support on this blanket commutation. With the sheer number of cases in Illinois showing false convictions, it makes sense that someone would come to a decision like this one. I won't apolgize for this view, either. The day we have a perfect judicial system will be the day that I support the death penalty.

Mr. Rural Midwest, you bring up a valid point regarding this. Mr. Ryan singlehandedly usurped over twenty years of the Judicial Branch of the Illinois government.

Yes, there were SERIOUS problems with the Illinois death penalty system. Yes, a review of each case was needed. To commute sentences of murderers and rapists in such a fashion was cavalier to say the least. This should have been put on the November ballot. Let the people of Illinois decide if a blanket commute was the best solution instead of ONE person, a lame duck at that, who is questionably corrupt himself.

This speaks volumes about the gradual increase in executive power we have seen in the last seventy years. Unfortunately, this comes at the expense of the people's voices not being heard. Guess your opinion means squat in Illinois; glad I moved a 1,000 miles away

This is why the Democrats will keep losing people. There is no such thing of a PERFECT judicial system of anything that is perfect. If human beings are involved there are always going to be inperfections. There is nothing WRONG with striving for perfection but, with the proper check's and balances you can achieve what you are looking for. Once you understand that you have to actually DEAL with imperfections then you will understand and be able to correct those imperfections. The idea of a Utopian society is a pipe dream and what Ryan did should have been done on a case by case scenario.


Back to lurking,
Darcaine

There is nothing short of perfection which is acceptable with humans lives. If Illinois kills one person who was innocent everyone who let it happen has blood on their hands. What if you were some poor young kid from Chicago about to be killed for a crime you didn't commit. Would you say nothing is perfect? If you can't get perfection then you can't kill people.

The strange power shifts we've been seeing between the executive & judicial branches do blur the lines of separation.

Obviously each of these cases should be reviewed individually but is this a matter of Ryan's abuse of power or a matter of the judicial system failing to adaquetly prove that these men were murderers? It seems as though he is trying to draw attention to the fact that the system needs help.

I live in TX, we kill lotsa people, I don't know if it's right or wrong but I guess that's another thread.

I can't believe the Govenor of MY STATE did this!!

Crazy old geezer

All of us out here are shocked. Why couldnt he have just passed the buck like all the other selfish-politicians?

Blagy gets in monday, even though he's one of those corrupt chicago beauracrats, I still think he had the right idea. I think that idea has near consencius approval here. One by one, go over it all, overhaul the system and pick it all apart. Blanket clemency! What was Ryan thinking?

I understand the the exec is supposed to be a check against the judicial branch, but he smashed all judicial authority on this. This sets a very dangerous precedent.

Could someone tell me how he can legally reverse the sentancing of that many prisoners?

Aren't there anying checking oversights to make sure the judicial system stays correct? (So we dont have to worry about this in the first place.)


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Illinois politics just keep getting better and better.

Travis

If we lived by that view nothing would have ever been built. You can't let the fact something is "imperfect" keep you from doing something. You can STRIVE for it but reaching it is a pipe dream.

Back to lurking,
Darcaine

I am outraged we have such a poor judicial system. Some innocent people are now serving life terms instead of getting death sentences. duh I hope Governor Blagovich is aggressive on reviewing these cases to determine if any other fowled prosecutions are amongst these affected prisoners. Further, the state's system of judge selection must be rebuilt. Problems also exists in the regulatory category. The group used to oversee the judiciary is a politically appointed group. They have done a poor job of oversight. Blagovich can immediately impact this aspect, if he so wishes.

Governor Ryan is a disgrace for his record overall but he was correct on his actions to address our atrocious courts. To have a system where such a high percentage of guilty people have later been found innocent is unreasonable. Governor Ryan's action is not the solution but a minor step towards a remedy. Ryan's clemency for half a dozen people the day before the commute announcement was the big story. Hurrah for his stepping up to the plate to right those wrongs ! The commutations announcement pales in comparison.

Oh me too.



Right. BUT! Blanket clemecy for all on death row? No way.

He really didnt address the problem. What about those who do deserve the sentance given by the courts and the people?



How is this a step toward a remedy? Why couldnt he have just taken his immense power and put them on a sort of layaway (for lack of a better word). Until they sorted the judicial mess out and set up some kind of legit oversight. Isnt their sentance set now?If not, how many times can it be changed legally?

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Just because we screwed up doesnt mean the rest of the murderers should get a lighter sentance.

Too much power clenched in one fist.

Travis

Good points, Travis. I think I am near agreement with you.

The emphasis of the thread was on the commutations. This is just a part of the big problem which should not be lost. The commutations are a remedy, though a poor one, to prevent any innocent people from being killed before their cases are reviewed ( a hope ). I am positive some deserving a death sentence are now getting life. This is bad but a minor bad as those on death row in Illinois are essentially on life sentences as the system now works.

"Bad" rating.....higher being worse....

Ryan as a Governor.................8
Blanket commutes...................2
Incorrect guilty verdicts..........10

At least with the commutes, some good has resulted, albeit minor. Perhaps the shock of the commutes will help to focus energy on the judicial problem. It is difficult to get the public to put have compassion for those being treated badly in the courts as they view it to not effect themselves, hence it can be put on a backburner or ignored.

In fact, I expect politicians, prosecutors, and judge are hoping the focus will be on Ryan instead of their need to reform.

So, in the mean time, screw the hundreds of innocent people that will be killed at the hands of the state while we sort out the "imperfections", right? To hell with the families that will wrongly lose a parent or sibling, as long as we do it all in the name of justice, imperfect as it may be. At least with a life sentence, these innocent people have a more reasonable chance of attaining their freedom.

I'm fully aware that there is no such thing as a perfect judicial system, and that's why I made the statement that I made. State-sponsored killing is wrong, no matter how you look at it. The system is flawed, archaic, and cruel by a world-wide standard, and we are widely criticized as a nation because of it. If you take away someone's life, guilty or no, are you less guilty of murder than you say they are?

Stefan, no one would have been killed unfairly even if Ryan had not made these blanket concessions. There was moratorium passed that stopped any more executions to happen until ALL of the cases were reviewed.

Ryan made a mistake. He didn't even allow the judiciary to attempt to fix the problems. He'd rather play dictator.

I was reading today's paper & it had a section about the 167(?) inmates that G.R. let go.

One woman killed a pregnant woman, cut open her WOMB, & killed the unborn KID!!! SICK STUFF MAN!!!!!

I'd rather have blowavich, a not so famous Chicago Democrat take Governor's office than let Ryan have it back.

Ryan is CRAZY!

Just another Scandel to add to his LONG list of scandels

A sad time to be an Illinoian

As I said, any state-sponsored death would be unfair, even if the person is guilty, IMHO. I don't see what Ryan did as a mistake at all, and reading world-wide opinion about it, neither does the rest of the world. He's being cheered by free nations around the world which already recognize the great error that is the death penalty. The rest of the man's political record aside, I see this as a great precident in human rights for our country. Loud calls come now, from all over the world for an end to this cruel form of punishment, and hopefully we'll see other governors following suit, and catching up with the rest of the world's free civilization. BRAVO, Gov. Ryan!

Stefan..it's good that you never experienced someone getting a pardon and slitting the throats of your friends or family. A previous Govenor of Illinois pardoned a man and he promptly went on an 11 victim killing spree. I'm sorry the facts are facts...the death penalty prevents murders...because if the SOB is dead...he ain't hurting anyone.

Now, that being said I have NO problem on a case by base basis reviewing it.

Darcaine

Illinois already had a moratorium on the death penalty. That means that any death row inmate was effectively given life without parole.

Governor Ryan instated that moratorium, claiming he wanted each case reviewed.

So why, on the trailing days of his political career, would he do this?

Because all sleazy law breaking politicians like George Ryan do this. Sentences get commuted. Pardons are made.

Governor Ryan was a horrible Governor, and did enormous harm to the State of Illinois.

He was so bad that they even elected a Democrat!

Mike

Find one statistic, one piece of data, that supports this and you'll be the only one in the world that's ever seen this. If the death penalty is such a wonderful deterrent, then, why is it that every country in the world that does not allow it has a lower murder rate than the US? There is no data to support your theory here... It is your opinion, not fact.