Quinn Hearing From Death Penalty Proponents, Opponents

By Chuck Sudo in News on Mar 2, 2011 3:44PM

We don't know what Gov. Quinn will ultimately do with the death penalty abolition legislation currently awaiting his signature. He could veto the legislation, he could sign it into law, or he could not take action on the bill and we go back to square one, since the legislation was passed by the prior General Assembly.

Both advocates for and opponents of capital punishment have been writing letters to Quinn in attempts to lobby in their respective favors. Among those who have written in favor of Quinn signing the bill are Cardinal Francis George, South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and author/lawyer Scott Turow. Over 12,000 opponents of the death penalty have written to Quinn, as opposed to 700 in favor of Quinn vetoing or not taking action on the bill.

Of the letters, the one that stands out the most for us comes from former policeman Kenneth Jones. Jones's letter reads:

"Never once did I see criminals think once of the consequences of their violent actions. Capital punishment is not a deterrent. If not a deterrent, why do we have it? In a 2009 poll, police chiefs ranked it last as a crime prevention tool... It's clear this system doesn't work. It doesn't prevent crime. It doesn't help victims, and puts the innocent at risk of being executed. Yet we continue paying its exorbitant costs. Millions (of dollars) that could have (been) used to keep the jobs of policemen who have been laid off."