Illinois’ capital punishment system is in crisis. Police continue to arrest people, state’s attorneys continue to prosecute them, judges and juries continue to sentence them to death for crimes that, it turns out, they didn’t commit. It has now happened 11 times in 12 years.
The Chicago Council of Lawyers has joined with Rep. Coy Pugh (D-Chicago) to draft a bill, House Bill 723, to stop executions for one year while the state attempts to reform the system to prevent more innocent people from being sentenced to death. The bill calls for the creation of a bipartisan commission to study the system and make recommendations to the General Assembly on how to fix it.
In the meantime the next execution is scheduled for March 17. The defendant, Andrew Kokoraleis, and his lawyer contend he is not guilty. The governor has the constitutional authority to grant a temporary reprieve, and the Illinois Supreme Court has the power to postpone the execution. One or both of them should act to stop this execution while the legislature is deliberating on Pugh’s bill.
The people of Illinois need to tell their government: Repair this damaged system before it results in the killing of an innocent person.
