No Death Penalty Sought in Deaths of Local Musicians

By Julene McCoy in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 4, 2006 2:02PM

Yesterday brought us news that Moussaoui is eligible for the death penalty, but today in a short blurb in the Tribune we learn that Jeanette Sliwinski will not face the death penalty for her alleged suicide attempt where she crashed her car at 70 mph into a stopped car in Skokie killing three local musicians, Michael Dahlquist, John Glick and Douglas Meis, who were on their lunch break.

Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Rick Cenar stated that they would not pursue the death penalty after reviewing the facts of the case including Ms. Sliwinski’s mental state at the time of the crash. Her defense has always maintained that her suicidal state would be instrumental to the defense of the first-degree murder charges. Defense-hired and state-hired mental health experts have already agreed that she is mentally fit to stand trial and will release the psychological reports only if Sliwinski’s lawyers raise the issue of sanity.

Chicagoist is torn on this issue - is it proper punishment to put someone to death when all she wanted was to die in the first place? Or is it a greater punishment to have to live out the rest of her life in prison and think about what she has done? No easy answers, and there are at least three people who don't get a say in it.