093_SR0017
LRB093 03761 RLC 03796 r
1 SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, On May 4, 2000, the Governor of the State of
3 Illinois issued Executive Order No. 4 that created the
4 Governor's Commission On Capital Punishment; and
5 WHEREAS, The duties of the Commission were: (1) to study
6 and review the administration of the capital punishment
7 process in Illinois to determine why that process has failed
8 in the past, resulting in the imposition of death sentences
9 upon innocent people; (2) to examine ways of providing
10 safeguards and making improvements in the way law enforcement
11 and the criminal justice system carry out their
12 responsibilities in the death penalty process from
13 investigation through trial, judicial appeal, and executive
14 review; (3) to consider, among other things, the ultimate
15 findings and final recommendations of the House Death Penalty
16 Task Force and the Special Supreme Court Committee on Capital
17 Cases and determine the effect these recommendations may have
18 on the capital punishment process; and (4) to make any
19 recommendations and proposals designed to further ensure that
20 the application and administration of the death penalty in
21 Illinois is just, fair and accurate; and
22 WHEREAS, In April 2002, the Commission issued its
23 recommendations; and
24 WHEREAS, Recommendation No. 39 was among the Commission's
25 recommendations and provided that the Illinois Supreme Court
26 should consider appointment of a standing committee of trial
27 judges and/or Appellate Judges familiar with capital case
28 management to provide resources to trial judges throughout
29 the State who are responsible for trying capital cases; and
30 WHEREAS, Section 16 of Article VI of the Illinois
31 Constitution vests general administrative and supervisory
32 authority over all courts in the Supreme Court of Illinois;
-2- LRB093 03761 RLC 03796 r
1 and
2 WHEREAS, In accordance with this authority, the Illinois
3 Supreme Court has adopted rules governing trial procedure in
4 criminal cases; and
5 WHEREAS, The adoption of Commission Recommendation No. 39
6 by the Illinois Supreme Court would serve the best interests
7 of the Illinois criminal justice system; therefore, be it
8 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL
9 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Illinois
10 Supreme Court to adopt Recommendation No. 39 of the
11 Governor's Commission On Capital Punishment; and be it
12 further
13 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this Resolution be
14 presented to the Honorable Mary Ann McMorrow, Chief Justice
15 of the Illinois Supreme Court.