Illinois' Victim Community Divided on Issue of Death Penalty Abolition

Illinois Murder Victims Families testified on both sides of the issue SB 3539 that would abolish Illinois' death penalty in favor of natural life sentences, but would also for the first time create a statewide program and funding to support and assist murder victims families, and supply funds for law enforcement as well.

Supporters of abolishing the death penalty, Randy Steidl, former death row inmate, left, and Gail Rice, whose younger brother, a Denver Police Officer, was shot to death, react after the Senate passed legislation abolishing the death penalty in Illinois while on the Senate floor during session at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield Tuesday.

A Press Conference held by Illinois' States Attorneys and murder victims families of death row inmates lobbied hard against the legislation, which did ultimately pass both houses. It now sits on the Governor's desk, awaiting Governor Quinn's decision.

ACTION ALERT:  PLEASE CONTACT YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE. SUPPORT HB 4650 – PRISONER CENSUS ADJUSTMENT ACT.  

What does HB 4650 propose to change?   The act proposes to change the way in which the Census Bureau would count inmates in Illinois prisons.  Currently, inmates are counted where they are incarcerated.   HB 4650 proposes to count inmates in Illinois at their last known address.    In February the Census Bureau gave states the ability to decide where prisoners should be counted.  Florida, Maryland, New York and Wisconsin are also considering similar legislation.    Why is this important to the Illinois?   Federal funds, based on Census data, would be allocated to the community from which the inmates come.  Reformers are working to ease the reentry of thousands of offenders released each year by the Department of Corrections.  The majority return to communities struggling with poverty and lack of resources. Congressional and legislative districts could be redrawn to reflect this population.    ACT NOW   On February 3, 2010 the bill was placed on 2nd reading short debate.  The announced deadline for passage out of the House is March 26, 2010.  Current House sponsors include: LaShawn K. Ford, Mary E. Flowers, John A. Fritchey, Kenneth Dunkin, Monique D. Davis and Elaine Nekritz.    Please contact your state representative and urge him or her to co-sponsor this legislation.  Contact information for your representative can be found at:  http://www.ilga.gov/house/.

2009 VICTIM HERO AWARDS
 

In 2009 Dr Peters of Northern Illinois University will receive our Victim Hero of the Year award for his outstanding response to the NIU shooting massacre on February 14, 2008. His service to those victims families has been exemplary. More details on the presentation once arrangements are made.

On May 13, 2009 in Springfield, Illinois at the State Capitol, members of the IllinoisVictims.Org Board of Directors Terry Mayborne, Dora Larson, Kyle Kirts and Jennifer Bishop-Jenkins will present the first ever LEGISLATOR HERO awards to a select and bi-partisan group of Senators and Representatives who have worked to serve the needs of Illinois Crime Victims in the General Assembly.

We gave the award to those who with their bill sponsorship and their votes support Victims Rights as articulated in Article I, Section 8.1 of the Illinois Constitution, who have stood up for a balanced Prisoner Review Board, who work to preserve the integrity of the Determinate Sentencing model in Illinois, who care about victim and public safety, who value the needs and voices of victims of violent crime, and who hold innocent and devastated murder victims family members as requiring resources and attention equal to or even more than the offenders who committed the crimes.

Here is our Press Release and the names of those we honor with gratitude for their dedication to the most vulnerable and damaged residents of our state - victims of violence.

Press Release and Media Advisory
www.IllinoisVictims.Org
For immediate Release: May 9, 2009
Contact: Terry Mayborne, President, 815-262-5907
Jennifer Bishop-Jenkins, Secretary, 847-331-2704
Illinois’ Crime Victims Announce HERO AWARDS for Illinois Legislators and Dr. Peters of NIU

On Wednesday morning May 13, 2009 a select group of Legislators in both the Illinois House and Senate will receive a Legislator HERO award from IllinoisVictims.Org for their consistent support of the rights and needs of victims of homicide and violent crime in the state of Illinois.

Illinois averages about a thousand murders and forty thousand attempted murders or aggravated assaults every year. Those victims’ lives have been incredibly damaged, and sometimes justice for the offender is elusive. Worst of all, all Illinois citizens pay the price tag for this high level of violence, and its impact on the lives of so many citizens. This is why IllinoisVictims.org, which represents hundreds of homicide victims families and victims’ rights advocates statewide, is grateful to leaders who work consistently to protect victims of crime, especially in a state where many resources are lavished on the offenders, while virtually none are allotted for their victims.

The bi-partisan list of recipients is below. These legislators have distinguished themselves this last year in their support of the Rights of Victims of Crime, as articulated in Article I, Section 8.1 of the Illinois Constitution. Also they have demonstrated concern for crime victims’ safety, and for protecting victims in their interactions with the criminal justice system.

Later this month, IllinoisVictims.org will also be presenting its HERO of the Year 2009 Award to the President of Northern Illinois University, Dr. Peters, for his outstanding and exemplary support of the victims of the NIU massacre over the last year.

This year’s Legislator Heroes are:

SENATE:
State Senators Tim Bivins, Maggie Crotty, William Delgado, Kirk Dillard, Michael Frerichs, Susan Garrett, William Haine, Don Harmon, Linda Holmes, Mike Jacobs, Davod Koehler, Dan Kotowski, Terry Link, Edward Maloney, Iris Martinez, John Millner, Antonio Munoz, Mike Noland, Kwame Raoul, Dale Righter, Dan Rutherford, Jeff Schoenberg, Ira Silverstein, Heather Steans, Dave Syverson, and A.J. Wilhelmi.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
State Representatives Edward Acevedo, Patricia Bellock, Bill Black, Mike Boland, James Brosnahan, Linda Chapa LaVia, Elizabeth Coulson, Fred Crespo, Tom Cross, John D’Amico, Lisa Dugan, Jim Durkin, Robert Flider, John Fritchey, Paul Froehlich, Careen Gordon, Julie Hamos, Jay Hoffman, Chuck Jefferson, Kevin Joyce, Lou Lang (sponsor of our important effort to amend the Illinois Constitution to make victims’ rights enforceable in the state HJRCA 19), Frank Mautino, Michael McAuliffe, Susana Mendoza, Harry Osterman, Randy Ramey, Dennis Reboletti, Chapin Rose, Jim Sacia, Michael Smith, Ronald Wait, and Dave Winters.

Scheduled to attend the 7:30-9:30 am Wednesday morning May 13 reception in the Rathskellar in the basement of the Capitol Building are homicide victims family members, including IllinoisVictims.org President Terry Mayborne, as well as representatives from the Law Enforcement Community, States Attorneys, and advocates who work with victims of crime.
                                                                                             

                                                                                            ###

THE DEATH PENALTY IN ILLINOIS

January  26, 2009, 9 a.m. Public Hearings will be held  at the State of Illinois Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph, in the Concourse Level Auditorium in Chicago. March 2, 2009 Hearings will be held in Springfield at the State Capitol. Room has not yet been assigned.

IllinoisVictims.org received a letter on January 5th inviting our members to come and offer testimony. Contact Jennifer with any questions.

Also, Jennifer Bishop-Jenkins, founder of IllinoisVictims.org is a member of this legislative committee, appointed last year by the Governor.

We encourage all interested victims to come and testify! TOPIC: the only areas that the committee can address are regarding reforms made to the death penalty by the Illinois Legislature in 2003, not for example whether or not the state should have a death penalty. Some of these reforms include the creation of the Capital Litigation Trust Fund for defense and prosecution, new line up procedures, DNA and lab procedures, the video-taping of interrogations, etc.

More can be learned about this five year study process and all its previous reports can be viewed at http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/

***

One would have had to live under a rock the last 8 years in Illinois to not be aware of the huge controversy surrounding this important sentencing issue. The Illinois States Attorneys' Association, reporting frustration with the "legal limbo" of the moratorium for the victims families, have urged the Illinois Legislature to take up the question of the moratorium and the death penalty itself. The hearings were September 18, 2008 in Chicago.

Many of the victims family members of those killed by these 14 death row inmates listed below were informed, invited and supported to testify with victim advocate staff caringly present. Others sent letters read by victim advocates.  Also present and testifying were murder victims family members who believed the death penalty is bad for victims.

CONTACT US for further information.