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| Ill. Atty. General's Suit Over Prisoner Clemency Thrown Out |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 10/14/2002 |
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A judge Thursday threw out Attorney General Jim Ryan's lawsuit to block clemency hearings for more than 130 inmates on Illinois' death row. The ruling removes a potential roadblock in the state Prisoner Review Board's plans to hear clemency requests starting next week. The board will make confidential recommendations to Gov. George Ryan, who then makes the final decision on whether to commute any death sentences to life in prison. The governor could decide to commute all the death sentences because of problems with the state's capital punishment system. He imposed a moratorium on executions in January 2000. The attorney general sued the board and the governor last month, contending the 30-minute hearings did not provide enough time to hear from victims' families. Sangamon County Judge Don Cadagin dismissed the lawsuit without explanation. Jim Ryan's office said that it considered the decision a win because the board will not strictly enforce the 30-minute time limit. A spokesman said the board never intended to enforce the limit. 'That was the attorney general's intent in filing this lawsuit - so this is a victory for crime victims,' said Ryan, the Republican candidate for governor. A spokesman for Gov. Ryan said the decision reaffirms the lawsuit was frivolous. 'With more victories like that, I'm sure great things are ahead,' Dennis Culloton said. |
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