George Ryan
George Ryan
George Homer Ryan, Sr.was the 39th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1999 until 2003. He was a member of the Republican Party. Ryan received national attention for his 1999 moratorium on executions in Illinois and for commuting more than 160 death sentences to life sentences in 2003. He was later convicted of federal corruption charges and spent more than five years in federal prison and seven months of home confinement. He was released from federal prison on...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth24 February 1934
CountryUnited States of America
Because the Illinois death penalty system is arbitrary and capricious - and therefore immoral - I no longer shall tinker with the machinery of death.
I don't know that we do. I had thought ours worked well, but I had never examined it too closely. A lot of media people will be looking for a case that might make Texas Governor George Bush think twice about what he's doing.
In the US the overwhelming majority of those executed are psychotic, alcoholic, drug addicted or mentally unstable. They frequently are raised in an impoverished and abusive environment. Seldom are people with money or prestige convicted of capital offenses, even more seldom are they executed.
Our capitol punishment system is haunted by the demon of error- error in determining guilt, error in determining who among the guilty deserves to die... The legislation couldn't reform it. Lawmakers won't repeal it. I won't stand for it. I had to act... I am commuting the sentences of all death row inmates.
I am haunted by the demon of error - error in determining guilt and error in determining who among the guilty deserves to die.
I may not accept all the recommendations, but I'm certainly going to do what I can,
sleep well knowing I made the right decision.
The federal government has torn apart my personal life with the intrusive and overbearing investigation.
In April of 1986, Aaron Patterson was tortured by Area 2 Violent Crimes detectives, under the direct supervision and with the active participation of Commander (Jon) Burge. The record in Mr. Patterson's case shows that he was one of the last of the approximately 60 known victims who have alleged torture by Chicago Police detectives at Area 2 Police Headquarters from 1972 to 1986.
I've never seen anything quite like the site I saw here.
These incentives are coming because Boeing is bringing new revenue to Illinois that otherwise would not have been available,