Illinois Death Penalty Abolition Bill Goes to Governor!

UPDATE:  Please call Govenor Quinn’s office and ask that he sign the death penalty abolition bill: 312.814.2121

This afternoon the Illinois Senate joined the Illinois House or Representatives in voting to abolish the death penalty.  The vote was 32 in favor, 25  against, with 2 abstentions.  If Governor Pat Quinn signs the bill into law, Illinois will become the 16th state in the USA to ban capital punishment, and the 3rd in the last 4 years.

And more states may be on the way, with hot debates on death penalty abolition expected in states as diverse as Connecticut, Kansas, Maryland and Montana

These debates and votes reflect the growing public disillusionment with (and in more and more cases rejection of) capital punishment, with its errors and biases, its ineffectiveness, and its dubious morality.

Whether Governor Quinn in Illinois will sign or veto this bill remains to be seen.  Stay tuned!

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18 thoughts on “Illinois Death Penalty Abolition Bill Goes to Governor!

  1. Thank goodness! But still, I'm afraid that in about an hour Oklahoma will kill Jeffrey Matthews for the murder of his great-uncle Otis Earl Short, a murder crime that Jeffrey did not commit, in spite of the evidence of innocence that is totally ignored! My heart breaks for the family of Matthews and Short and I will pray for the safety of Jeffrey's spirit. If he is denied clemency and is killed by the state of Oklahoma's use of pentobarbital, then at least he will meet with Otis Short in heaven when he dies. I hope he makes his peace with God. 😥
    http://mcalesternews.com/local/x419264580/Matthew

  2. Thank goodness! But still, I'm afraid that in about an hour Oklahoma will kill Jeffrey Matthews for the murder of his great-uncle Otis Earl Short, a murder crime that Jeffrey did not commit, in spite of the evidence of innocence that is totally ignored! My heart breaks for the family of Matthews and Short and I will pray for the safety of Jeffrey's spirit. If he is denied clemency and is killed by the state of Oklahoma's use of pentobarbital, then at least he will meet with Otis Short in heaven when he dies. I hope he makes his peace with God. 😥
    http://mcalesternews.com/local/x419264580/Matthew

  3. Thank goodness! But still, I'm afraid that in about an hour Oklahoma will kill Jeffrey Matthews for the murder of his great-uncle Otis Earl Short, a murder crime that Jeffrey did not commit, in spite of the evidence of innocence that is totally ignored! My heart breaks for the family of Matthews and Short and I will pray for the safety of Jeffrey's spirit. If he is denied clemency and is killed by the state of Oklahoma's use of pentobarbital, then at least he will meet with Otis Short in heaven when he dies. I hope he makes his peace with God. 😥
    http://mcalesternews.com/local/x419264580/Matthew

  4. Thank goodness! But still, I’m afraid that in about an hour Oklahoma will kill Jeffrey Matthews for the murder of his great-uncle Otis Earl Short, a murder crime that Jeffrey did not commit, in spite of the evidence of innocence that is totally ignored! My heart breaks for the family of Matthews and Short and I will pray for the safety of Jeffrey’s spirit. If he is denied clemency and is killed by the state of Oklahoma’s use of pentobarbital, then at least he will meet with Otis Short in heaven when he dies. I hope he makes his peace with God. 😥

    http://mcalesternews.com/local/x419264580/Matthews-appeal-claims-innocence

  5. I feel so sad that injustice was done in Oklahoma tonight… the night that Jeffrey Matthews' lights went out! Not only did Oklahoma kill him by pentobarbital for a murder he did not commit, but it TOTALLY denied him any evidence of his innocence, appeals, or even clemency, and even let the Otis Short's real killer get away with murder, making it another murder unsolved! Now Oklahoma will say that justice was served, but in truth, I feel that justice was totally lost, raped, and gone! I hope that Oklahoma will one day have to answer to a higher authority, i.e., God. At least Jeffrey made his peace with God before he died. May he and his great-uncle Otis rest in the eternal peace that had been so long denied for them on earth. 😥

  6. I feel so sad that injustice was done in Oklahoma tonight… the night that Jeffrey Matthews’ lights went out! Not only did Oklahoma kill him by pentobarbital for a murder he did not commit, but it TOTALLY denied him any evidence of his innocence, appeals, or even clemency, and even let the Otis Short’s real killer get away with murder, making it another murder unsolved! Now Oklahoma will say that justice was served, but in truth, I feel that justice was totally lost, raped, and gone! I hope that Oklahoma will one day have to answer to a higher authority, i.e., God. At least Jeffrey made his peace with God before he died. May he and his great-uncle Otis rest in the eternal peace that had been so long denied for them on earth. 😥

  7. The state has made a killer of itself. We must all renew our efforts against state murder.

  8. I don't believe in the Death penelty PERIOD..Any person who "lawfully" exicutes an inmate is also a murderer!!..We are one of the only industryilized Countries in the world who still exacute human beings..We must do anything in our power to stop these murders…Also the lethal injection is supposed to be humane..How does anyone know that? No one has lived to tell the story so the lawmakers of these states are lying just to murder people they see as no good..Texas, acually has its own death penalty site with every person exacuted, what they had for their last meal, and of course not even being kind enough to allow the inmates a cigarette..My gosh, what has this Country become?? This Country claims to be Christian, well, I no longer consider myself a Christian and the reasons why has a lot to do with the Right wing hateful Zealots who claim they are Christians..I am an Agnostic, but I have more compassion im my little pinky finger than these evil "Chgristians" to in their whole bodies Please don't think I am downing all Christians, it is just that small group who are so loud that you think they run the COuntry..
    I respect all Religions, but I hate hypocrites, and that is what the Right Wing are…STOP THE MURDERS!!!!!!

  9. I don’t believe in the Death penelty PERIOD..Any person who “lawfully” exicutes an inmate is also a murderer!!..We are one of the only industryilized Countries in the world who still exacute human beings..We must do anything in our power to stop these murders…Also the lethal injection is supposed to be humane..How does anyone know that? No one has lived to tell the story so the lawmakers of these states are lying just to murder people they see as no good..Texas, acually has its own death penalty site with every person exacuted, what they had for their last meal, and of course not even being kind enough to allow the inmates a cigarette..My gosh, what has this Country become?? This Country claims to be Christian, well, I no longer consider myself a Christian and the reasons why has a lot to do with the Right wing hateful Zealots who claim they are Christians..I am an Agnostic, but I have more compassion im my little pinky finger than these evil “Chgristians” to in their whole bodies Please don’t think I am downing all Christians, it is just that small group who are so loud that you think they run the COuntry..
    I respect all Religions, but I hate hypocrites, and that is what the Right Wing are…STOP THE MURDERS!!!!!!

  10. Is it of any use to call more than once?
    Second question: I was replied: "I will pass your message on, thank you." being non-American, is that what's normally replied? I'm not used to call Governors' Offices…

  11. Is it of any use to call more than once?
    Second question: I was replied: “I will pass your message on, thank you.” being non-American, is that what’s normally replied? I’m not used to call Governors’ Offices…

  12. i am doing a campaign to get the death penalty abolished in Illinois and i live in England was wondering if anyone closer to there would know Govenor Quinn’s office address so i could send him a letter?
    please reply if you know or find it!

  13. i am doing a campaign to get the death penalty abolished in Illinois and i live in England was wondering if anyone closer to there would know Govenor Quinn’s office address so i could send him a letter?
    please reply if you know or find it!

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