The Chicago Tribune reports that Governor Quinn's decision on SB 3539, abolishing Illinois' death penalty, could come as soon as this week:
Quinn gave no indication of what he'll do with a bill sitting on his desk that would abolish the death penalty in Illinois. It's a historic question for Quinn that will help define his term as governor. And he's had no shortage of advocates on both sides trying to sway him in a state where the death penalty has a high-profile and troubled past.
He's nearly out of time to decide as a March 18 deadline to act looms.
Quinn has not tipped his hand about the weighty decision he faces, which he could announce as early as week's end. The governor supported the death penalty during his re-election campaign, but he's also kept in place the state's decade-long moratorium on executions.
We hope the Governor will do the right thing and sign SB 3539 into law, ending Illinois' broken death penalty system once and for all. Tens of thousands of Illinoisans and people from around the country have urged him to sign it, and we hope you will add your voice as well.
Call Governor Quinn at 312-814-2121 or 217-782-0244 and ask him to end the death penalty in Illinois.
