Illinois abolishes death penalty

There is great news to share today: Governor Pat Quinn signed the bill abolishing the death penalty in the state of Illinois. He feels strongly that experience has shown that
there is no way to design a perfect death penalty system, free from the numerous flaws that can lead to wrongful convictions or discriminatory treatment and concluded that the proper course of action is to abolish it. He found no credible evidence that the death penalty has a deterrent effect on the crime of murder and that the enormous sums
expended by the state in maintaining a death penalty system would be better spent on preventing crime and assisting victims’ families in overcoming their pain and grief. The late Cardinal Joseph Bernadin observed, “In a complex, sophisticated democracy like ours, means other than the death penalty are available and can be used to protect society.” In our current criminal justice system, we can impose extremely harsh punishments when warranted. Judges can impose sentences of life imprisonment
without the possibility of parole. Where necessary and appropriate, the state can incarcerate convicted criminals in maximum security prisons. These means should be sufficient to satisfy our need for retribution, justice and protection. Let us all pray for and support OTSE's movement currently underway to abolish the death penalty in
Ohio and for our state legislators to accomplish what their counterparts in Illinois recently did. For more information about Ohioans to Stop Executions (OTSE), you can
visit their website www.otse.org.