ILLINOIS,OK STUDIOSI A COMMUTAZIONE PENA DI MASSA

WASHINGTON, 30 DIC - Commutazioni di massa della pena di morte possono essere giuridicamente e legalmente giustificate: e' il parere che studiosi ed esperti dell'Illinois hanno deciso di dare, con una lettera aperta, al governatore dello Stato, George Ryan, che sta per lasciare l'incarico e che sta valutando un provvedimento del genere.

   Nei mesi scorsi, Ryan aveva avviato un'ampia consultazione di professori e specialisti. La lettera aperta e' firmata da oltre 400 di essi ed e' in contrasto con l'opinione espressa da alcuni sostenitori della PENA DI MORTE, secondo i quali i provvedimenti di clemenza devono essere valutati e presi caso per caso.

   Ryan sospese le esecuzioni nell'Illinois tre anni or sono, dopo che i tribunali dello Stato s'erano resi conto di avere ingiustamente condannato a morte ben 13 persone.

   Il governatore, che lascera' la sua carica il 13 gennaio, progetta di prendere una decisione sui casi di quasi 150 condannati a morte che si sono rivolti a lui per ottenere una commutazione della pena.

   Nella loro lettera, studiosi ed esperti critici della pena di morte ricordano che provvedimenti di clemenza collettivi sono gia' stati usati in passato per correggere errori giudiziari sistematici. Ma i pubblici ministeri dello Stato considerano che una misura del genere sarebbe un abuso di potere. 

Legal Scholars Send Letter to Ryan

     More than 425 law professors from across the nation have signed an open letter to Illinois Governor George Ryan encouraging him to consider granting each of the clemency requests currently under his review. Earlier this year, following the completion of the Illinois Commission on Capital Punishment's examination of the state's death penalty, clemency petitions were filed on behalf of more than 150 death row inmates. The Commission's review examined flaws within the state's death penalty system and resulted in a lengthy list of reform recommendations that aim to ensure improved fairness and accuracy. In today's letter to Governor Ryan, the law professors noted, "The clemency power traditionally has been used not only to correct injustices in individual cases, but also as a response to problems in the systemic application of the law. It can promote healing after issues of great divisiveness have been resolved." Ryan is expected to act on the petitions before leaving office in January. (December 30, 2002)

 CBS News

Spare Death Row Lives, Say Experts

CHICAGO, Dec. 30, 2002

 "Where circumstances warrant, executive clemency should be and has in fact been used as a means to correct systemic injustice."

Legal scholars' letter

 (CBS) Hundreds of legal scholars are ready to side with the controversial actions of one governor in the death penalty debate.

 Four hundred legal experts believe Illinois Governor George Ryan should grant blanket commutations for some of his state's death row inmates. In a letter sent Monday, the legal scholars advise the governor to "follow his conscience," reports CBS News Correspondent Peter Maer.

 Ryan stopped executions in Illinois three years ago after courts found 13 inmates were wrongly convicted. The governor is reviewing 140 clemency requests. Ryan will decide before leaving office in two weeks.

 The state resumed capital punishment in 1977. About 160 inmates are on death row.

 In the letter, the legal scholars take exception to some death penalty supporters' view that Ryan should only consider clemency on a case-by-case basis.

 "We feel compelled to share with you our considered judgment that, in our country, the power of executive clemency is not so limited," the letter said. "To the contrary, where circumstances warrant, executive clemency should be and has in fact been used as a means to correct systemic injustice."

 The governor has described blanket commutation of death sentences to life without parole as being "on the back burner," but he will consider the professors' letter, spokesman Dennis Culloton said.

 Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine, one of those most publicly opposed to a blanket clemency, says the professors have missed the point.

 "We have never disputed that the governor has unlimited powers to grant clemency, but we believe that granting blanket clemency would be an abuse of that power," said Devine's spokeswoman, Marcy Jensen.

 The professors' letter doesn't take a position on whether the governor should commute all death row inmates' sentences.

 New York University law professor Anthony Amsterdam said the professors are sending the letter to Ryan "to make him feel that he can consult his own conscience and decide what he thinks is right."

 Amsterdam, who organized the letter-signing campaign, said the power of clemency is broad enough "to allow the governor to use his own sense of justice and right in issuing commutations."

 New Mexico Gov. Toney Anaya commuted the sentences of all his state's death row inmates in 1986. Arkansas Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller did the same thing in 1970.