DEATH PENALTY ILLINOIS

Early day motion 499, tabled 13 January 2003 by Kevin McNamara (Labour). Signed by 72 members.

That this House commends the courage and humanity of George Ryan, the retiring Governor of Illinois, in commuting sentences on all 156 death row prisoners in his state to life imprisonment; notes that since 1977, Illinois executed 12 prisoners but released 13 others because new evidence exonerated them and that the Governor felt forced to conclude that the death penalty was arbitrary and capricious - and therefore immoral; further notes that in the past 30 years, 102 persons have been released from death row in the USA with evidence of their innocence; further notes that since 1976, when the US Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty, 816 persons have been executed, and that in particular the United States President's home state of Texas has executed 288 persons in this period; notes however that the trend towards abolition of the death penalty continues to gain momentum worldwide; and urges the Government in its relations with the United States authorities to inject renewed vigour in its representations to press for the complete abolition of this barbaric practice.

Signatures by party: Labour 50, Liberal Democrat 10, Labour/Co-operative 7, Conservative 3, Plaid Cymru 1, UUP 1.