The Jewish Council on Urban Affairs (JCUA) applauds Gov. George Ryan’s decision to place a moratorium on the death penalty in Illinois. JCUA’s opposition to the death penalty is based on our understanding of a Jewish commitment to life and the overwhelming evidence that the legal system in Illinois has been shown to tolerate the misrepresentation of facts and evidence, and police brutality. In addition, the death penalty is applied disproportionately to minorities and the poor.
There is clear evidence that our court’s administration of the death penalty is riddled with injustice. The JCUA and its membership pledge to engage in the following steps:
Speak out against the death penalty and cooperate with groups that are working on the issue.
Call on the United States Department of Justice to carry out a systemic review of police and prosecutorial misconduct in Chicago.
Encourage the Illinois Death Penalty Commission, the state legislature and Gov. Ryan to move beyond recommending reforms to actively recommending abolition of the death penalty.
Call on the United States Congress to abolish the death penalty throughout the nation.
