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Illinois state prosecutors lobbying to preserve state's death penalty

By Douglas A. Berman

As detailed in this local Illinois piece, "Tazewell County State?s Attorney Stewart Umholtz and Peoria County State?s Attorney Kevin Lyons are asking residents in their counties to call local legislators and 'tell them to not support this politically motivated effort to circumvent the will of the people.'" Here's more: ?As State?s Attorneys, we have a special duty to seek justice,? the letter stated. ?Regardless of personal feelings about whether or not the death penalty is good or bad, the political efforts currently being used to abolish the state?s ultimate punishment are, without question, offensive to justice.  This is a last second effort to cram an extremely sensitive issue through a tiny political hole without public input.?... Umholtz and Lyons said that proponents claim that natural life without parole is an adequate punishment, ?Yet they work to pass legislation allowing compassionate release parole to inmates, including murderers, even those given life sentences...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on December 31, 2010 (boomark / email).