PENA MORTE: USA, EX GIUDICI CHIEDONO DI CANCELLARE CONDANNE

LETTERA A GOVERNATORE ILLINOIS CHE SI APPRESTA A DECIDERE

NEW YORK, 2 DIC - Cancellare le condanne a morte e trasformarle in ergastolo per ogni detenuto la cui vicenda giudiziaria presenti punti controversi: ad avanzare questa richiesta al governatore dell'Illinois stavolta non sono le organizzazioni contro la pena capitale, ma un gruppo di 21 alti magistrati in pensione.

   Il governatore George Ryan, noto per le sue perplessita' sulla PENA DI MORTE, dopo aver dichiarato due anni fa una moratoria sulle esecuzioni in Illinois, ha fatto riesaminare nelle ultime settimane le richieste di grazia di 142 condannati a morte e si appresta a decidere sulla loro sorte. Ryan, che lascera' l'incarico a gennaio, e' diventato un severo critico della pena capitale dopo aver scoperto almeno 13 casi di errori giudiziari nelle condanne a morte in Illinois e potrebbe decidere anche un'iniziativa ad effetto, come la trasformazione di tutte le condanne in ergastoli.

   In una lettera inviata a Ryan, l'ex capo della Corte suprema dello stato, Moses Harrison e altri 20 ex alti magistrati federali e statali si sono detti d'accordo con le perplessita' di Ryan sulla pena capitale. I giudici non si sono spinti nella lettera a suggerire di commutare tutte le pene, ma hanno invitato il governatore ad annullare tutte le condanne dove ci sia anche solo un minimo sospetto.

Qualcuno dei magistrati, come l'ex giudice d'appello Eugene Pincham, e' andato oltre: ''L'unico modo per garantire una vera legalita' - ha detto Pincham - l'unico modo di far giustizia, l'unica strada che ha il governatore e' commutare tutte le condanne a morte in ergastolo''.

US Newswire

DECEMBER 1, 2002:

ILLINOIS: Retired Judges Endorse Broad Use of Clemency Power in Capital Cases

21 retired federal and state judges today issued an open letter to Illinois Governor George H. Ryan supporting broad use of the clemency power in light of systemic flaws in the Illinois capital punishment system.

 "The finality of death demands that there be no question about the fairness and integrity of the process that leads to execution. We all agree that to approach that standard would require substantial reform," says the letter. It concludes, "We believe it would be appropriate to commute to life without parole all death sentences in which the system's failings raise doubts about the fairness and accuracy of either the conviction or sentence. We respectfully urge you to remain open to recognizing that the systemic flaws in the Illinois capital punishment process may be of such magnitude that they affected all death sentences."

 3 years ago, in the wake of the exoneration and release of 13 innocent men from death row in Illinois, Ryan imposed a moratorium on executions and appointed a Special Commission on Capital Punishment, which has recommended that the General Assembly either reform the capital punishment system or abolish it. Before leaving office on January 13, Ryan is expected to decide on requests to commute the sentences of all 160 prisoners presently on Illinois death row to life in prison without parole.

 Signers of the letter, which will be delivered to Ryan on Monday, are: (all retired) Illinois Supreme Court Justices Moses Harrison and Seymour Simon; U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Abner J. Mikva; U.S. District Court Judges George N. Leighton and Prentice H. Marshall; Illinois Appellate Court Justices R. Eugene Pincham, Dom J. Rizzi, and Anthony Scariano; Cook County Circuit Court Judges Richard J. Fitzgerald, Julian Frazin, Myron T. Gomberg, Howard R. Kaufman, Martha A. Mills, Sheila M. Murphy, Shelvin Singer, Marjan P. Staniec, Earl E. Strayhorn, and Harold W. Sullivan; Will County Circuit Court Judge John F. Cirricione; Stephenson County Circuit Court Judge Francis X. Mahoney, and Ogle County Circuit Court Judge John M. Rowe.

 The letter cites a number of specific flaws in the death penalty system, including unqualified defense lawyers, unrecorded and possibly coerced confessions, and reliance on testimony from people who have something to gain, such as alleged accomplices or jailhouse snitches. "Further," the letter continues, "serious, long-standing questions exist about racial bias and whether the death sentence can be imposed fairly and uniformly under the statute, given the lack of uniform standards and oversight and overbroad eligibility factors."

 Responding to the claim of some that commutation disrespects the work of judges and jurors, the letter says, "That same concern for our highest values that motivates judges and jurors may well counsel the use of clemency to restore confidence in a system tarnished by inaccuracy and unfairness. Broad use of clemency is not a defiance or disrespect of the process, but rather an essential part of that process. It is not an abuse but rather a duty of the executive to commute sentences if systemic flaws have undermined justice."

 "These judges know the system better than anyone," said Edwin Colfax, executive director of the Illinois Death Penalty Education Project, who coordinated the joint statement. "They have tried and reviewed countless cases, and they all agree that this death penalty system has fallen short of the level of certainty and fairness needed.," said Colfax.

 Following is the full text and list of signers:

An Open Letter to Gov. George Ryan from Retired Judges

Dear Governor Ryan,

 We -- retired members of the Illinois and federal judiciaries -- are writing concerning the momentous challenge you face in reviewing the clemency petitions currently pending on behalf of Death Row prisoners.

 The finality of death demands that there be no question about the fairness and integrity of the process that leads to execution. We all agree that to approach that standard would require substantial reform.

 The exoneration and release of 13 persons from Illinois Death Row in recent years has dramatically called into question the reliability of the capital punishment process. When inaccuracy of such magnitude occurs on the threshold question of guilt versus innocence, surely it also occurs in the complex sentencing determination as well.

 Examination of current death sentences reveals cases involving credible claims of coerced confessions, unreliable "incentivised" testimony from jailhouse informants and purported accomplices, inexperienced and unqualified defense counsel, confusing jury instructions, mental retardation, and mental illness. Further, serious, long-standing questions exist about racial bias and whether the death sentence can be imposed fairly and uniformly under the statute, given the lack of uniform standards and oversight and overbroad eligibility factors.

 Some have suggested that clemency on a large scale would disrespect the process and the people who worked hard in that process, including the judges, jurors, and prosecutors. In fact, all of us involved in the workings of the legal system are bound by a fundamental duty to seek justice, to honor our highest principles. That same concern for our highest values that motivates judges and jurors may well counsel the use of clemency to restore confidence in a system tarnished by inaccuracy and unfairness. Broad use of clemency is not a defiance or disrespect of the process, but rather an essential part of that process. It is not an abuse but rather a duty of the executive to commute sentences if systemic flaws have undermined justice.

 We believe it would be appropriate to commute to life without parole all death sentences in which the system's failings raise doubts about the fairness and accuracy of either the conviction or sentence. We respectfully urge you to remain open to recognizing that the systemic flaws in the Illinois capital punishment process may be of such magnitude that they affected all death sentences.

 Sincerely, Abner J. Mikva, George N. Leighton, Prentice H. Marshall, Moses Harrison Seymour Simon, R. Eugene Pincham, Dom J. Rizzi, Anthony Scariano, John F. Cirricione, Richard J. Fitzgerald, Julian Frazin, Myron T. Gomberg, Howard R. Kaufman, Francis X. Mahoney, Martha Mills, Sheila M. Murphy John B. Roe, Shelvin Singer, Marjan P. Staniec, Earl E. Strayhorn, Harold W. Sullivan