Ill. governor weighs bill to abolish death penalty

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Illinois again finds itself at the center of the death penalty debate as advocates on both sides wait to hear whether Gov. Pat Quinn will support abolishing capital punishment in a state that had 170 people awaiting execution less than a decade ago.
Lawmakers on Tuesday sent legislation repealing the death penalty to the Democratic governor, who supports capital punishment but has upheld an 11-year moratorium on executions imposed by a predecessor amid a spate of wrongful convictions.
Already wrapped up in a massive state income tax increase that could sully his political future, Quinn wouldnt say whether he would sign the bill after the Senate approved it 32-25. The House passed it last week.
Still, death penalty foes were enthused about the chances for repeal elsewhere if a large, industrial state such as Illinois does it — following New York, New Jersey and New Mexico since 2007.
"Its a clear trend," said Debra Erenberg, Midwest regional director for Amnesty International USA.
Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Maryland and Montana are among other states that have considered repeal in the past year or still are pursuing it, according to Erenberg and Diann Rust-Tierney, executive director of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.
Abolition opponents warned against widespread celebration just yet.
Rep. Jim Durkin, a Western Springs Republican who spearheaded reforms after then-Gov. George Ryan imposed the moratorium in 2000, said it will only take one heart-rending crime to stir calls for reinstatement — particularly in a nation that has just swung to the right.
"The national momentum is conservative," Durkin said. "If the governor signs this bill, it is not going to cause a domino effect in this country. People will look at Illinois as an aberration because of the problems that happened 15 years ago, but theyll ...