The ACLU of Illinois submitted testimony to the House Judiciary Criminal Law Committee regarding House Bills 1519 and 1738 (Amendment 2) which would reinstate the death penalty in Illinois:

In order for the State of Illinois to take a life, the State must do so fairly, rationally and without the threat of taking an innocent life. There are insufficient safeguards in our criminal justice system to insure that this is how the law is carried out in Illinois. From 1977 to 2000, Illinois executed 12 inmates but freed 13 from Death Row. The 13 freed individuals had their convictions overturned and some were completely exonerated. In the 10 years since the Moratorium, seven more inmates have been released from Death Row – only Florida has released more exonerated defendants. The irrevocability of the death penalty counsels against accepting a system with a demonstrably significant rate of error. We cannot guarantee that our death penalty will not make a fatal mistake and take an innocent life.

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House Bill 1519:
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House Bill 1738 – Amendment 2:
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