Illinois panel urges reforms to death penalty as abolition option
A two year Illinois panel proposed more than 80 changes across the justice system and argued capital punishment should be abolished if reforms fail. The plan includes banning death for mentally retarded defendants and innocence cases, creating a DNA database, and cutting eligible offenses from 20 to five. The group stopped short of calling for repeal, leaving lawmakers to act. Governor Ryan will study the report before deciding on next steps.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chicago
Illinois
George Ryan
Ryan
Commission
U.S
Paul Simon
Lyons
Bettenhausen
Cook County
Public Policy Institute
Southern Illinois University
Carbondale
Idoc.state.il.us
Ccp
Governor's panel backs limited death penalty rules Chicago AP
The Governor's Commission on Capital Punishment in Chicago proposed narrowing death penalty triggers to five cases such as killing a police officer or inmate, banning it for mentally retarded defendants, and overturning jury verdicts by a judge in life without parole. It also urged a civilian forensics lab, full videotaping of interrogations, precharge public defender access, a three-prosecutor panel, a comprehensive DNA database, and pretrial access to DNA evidence.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chicago
Governor’s Commission On Capital Punishment
Illinois death penalty debated by officials and experts
Garnati says reforms would end executions in Illinois and would only keep a path for the retarded on death row. Rock Island County State's Attorney Douglas insists the department must decide. Bettenhausen notes a panel could standardize penalties, while Simon calls capital punishment revenge not deterrence.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Illinois
Garnati
Garnatl
Rock Island County
Marshall Douglas
Matt Bettenhausen
Commission
Prison director blames unions over furloughs and closures
AFSCME spokeswoman Marianne McMullen says the Ryan administration never guaranteed layoffs would be avoided by furloughs or concessions. Snyder warns Vienna prison closure is due to low security needs and contemplates moving inmates elsewhere. As finances worsen, more facilities may shutter in Sheridan, Centralia, East Moline and related centers. Some officials fear layoffs, while Ryan asks for early release of about 4,500 inmates as a cost saving. Sergio Molina notes details remain unsettled but non-violent offenders on parole could be used if approved. Illinois parole would monitor them.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Afscme
Marianne McMullen
Ryan
Snyder
Vienna
Sheridan
Centralia
East Moline
Sergio Molina
Corrections Department
University of Illinois At
Springfield
Illinois Parole System
Procrastinators flood post offices as tax deadline nears
Protests and delays erupt nationwide at post offices with extensions in demand. Students and workers describe the tax burden as a hassle while a New York crowd turns the central post office into a carnival. A Virginia exhibit features an elephant, and crowds in Denver endure long lines as tax resisters protest. Financial officials note 1.5 billion hours spent on federal paperwork yearly, with average 28 hours needed to file.
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New York
Temple University
Andrew Basenfelder
Philadelphia
New York City
Manhattan
Greenwich Village
Cincinnati
Merrifield
Ringling Bros. Circus
Denver
Nancy Pavlish
Federal Courthouse
Las Vegas
Irwin Schiff
Schiff
White House
National Taxpayers Union
Samuel Gordon
Court dispute over prison closure and mail mishap
The Chicago law firm Cornfield and Feldman represents a union challenging Ryan’s authority to close the Vienna prison. A lost express mail parcel to the Johnson County Courthouse was diverted to Kentucky, delaying the filing. Ryan had shifted the closing date from June 30 to May 15 amid a $30 million annual budget, and a facsimile filing was rejected by the Johnson County Circuit Clerk’s office.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ryan
Johnson County
Kentucky
UPS
Chicago
Cornfield and Feldman
Vienna
Yokich
Woman missing reported as man files missing person
Smith appears in court after missing person report filed by husband Randy when Blair, a 35 year old West City resident, fails to return home. Divers search Lake Moses. Blair's body found April 10. Autopsy cites asphyxiation from strangling with ligature. Preliminary hearing set May 8 at 1:30 p.m.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
West City
Randy
Smith
Lake Moses
Blair
Call to report inaccuracies in The Southern Illinoisan
Readers are urged to report inaccuracies in The Southern Illinoisan by calling 800 228 0429 extension 5176 from any location.
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Thomas Sullivan
Peoria County
Kevin Lyons
Bradley P. Olson
S. Division
Carterville
Gordon
Henry Stern
Internal Revenue Service
Brenda Burns
Illinois Department of Revenue
Jeffs
West Freeman
Tuke
Frankfort
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