Important Update
Victory on Reform of Illinois’ Failed and Discredited Death Penalty System!

November 5, 2003
Dear ACLU of Illinois Action Alert Member,

We are pleased to report a significant victory in the Illinois Senate! A few hours ago, the Illinois Senate overrode Governor Blagojevich’s amendatory veto of Senate Bill 472, threatening to undermine critical reform of the failed and discredited death penalty system in Illinois. The vote on the override motion was 58 in favor, 0 opposed and 1 not voting – a sweeping victory. We thank all the members of the Action Alert Team who called their Senators and urged them to vote for this important legislation.

Senate Bill 472 includes many of the proposals recommended by the Governor's Commission on Capital Punishment, including: compelling police to produce exculpatory information in homicide cases; mandating a pre-trial process to test the veracity of "informant" or "jailhouse snitch" testimony; and, banning the execution of persons who are mentally ill. After the session, Governor Blagojevich used his amendatory veto authority to delete a provision that created a penalty for false testimony by police officers in homicide cases.

Later this evening, we anticipate that the Senate also will give overwhelming approval to an amendment to House Bill 576 – language that forms an agreement addressing the Governor’s concerns and those expressed by law enforcement about Senate Bill 472. Under the agreement, the hearings to decide whether a police officer charged with having lied during death penalty cases now will involve three state agencies, rather than the one agency originally proposed in Senate Bill 472.

Thank you –
You action can make a difference