On the 9 March 2011, Governor Pat Quinn of the US State of Illinois eventually signed the bill into law which brings about the abolition of the death penalty in this Midwestern State. The risk of wrongful convictions and discriminatory imposition will always remain existent as there is no way to design a perfect death penalty system, he said in his speech.
Illinois is the 16th State of the US to abolish the death penalty. It sets an important example for other US States which still retain the capital punishment in their statute books.
The signature of the bill comes about almost two months after the abolition bill was approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate of Illinois (ICDP reacted on this occasion by addressing a letter to Governor Pat Quinn asking to ratify the decision of the parliament).
Read the statement by the ICDP on the abolition of the death penalty in Illinois.
For further information on the events in Illinois follow this link.
