HR0969 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0969 LRB095 14925 RLC 40870 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, A moratorium on the use of capital punishment was instituted in Illinois in 2000; and

WHEREAS, The current Governor and his administration have taken no steps to end the moratorium but rather continue the moratorium as a policy in Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Criminals continue to murder innocent people throughout the State of Illinois in spite of the existence of the moratorium; and

WHEREAS, Since the inception of the moratorium, several defendants have been found guilty of first degree murder and have been given a death sentence; and

WHEREAS, No capital punishment has been performed on those who have received such a sentence because of the existence of the moratorium; and

WHEREAS, Families of the victims of the criminals who have killed their loved ones can and have received no closure because the full sentence has not been carried out because of the existence of the moratorium; and

WHEREAS, Not one shred of evidence has demonstrated that the moratorium on the death penalty decreases crime or makes society any safer; and

WHEREAS, The academic community cannot provide any consistency as to the use of capital punishment as it relates to public safety; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we call upon the Governor to end the moratorium on capital punishment in Illinois, restore the administration of justice and the sentences therein to the judicial branch of government and to the juries, made up of the citizenry of Illinois, and to allow the use of capital punishment to be administered in Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Governor of the State of Illinois.