Officials React To Ryan Pardons, Clemency Decision
Blagojevich: 'Blanket Clemency A Big Mistake'
POSTED: 4:20 p.m. EST January 11, 2003
UPDATED: 4:54 p.m. EST January 11, 2003
CHICAGO -- Gov. George Ryan (picturted, right) pardoned four men on death row Friday: Aaron Patterson, Leroy Orange, Stanley Howard and Madison Hobley. All claimed that they were tortured into confessing by the former commander of Area 2, John Burge. Ryan said their cases are evidence of a death penalty system which is hopelessly broken.
"I don't know how you could stand by, the chief executive officer of the state of Illinois, and be the head of a state that condones executing innocent people," Ryan said.
At the governor's speech Friday, the governor was hailed as a hero by supporters of the death row inmates.
Cook County State's Attorney Dick Devine (pictured, left) spoke to the press Friday evening about the governor's decision. An angry Devine asked why the governor listened only to defense attorneys, never -- he said -- talking to the prosecutors who hold a very different view.
"How can you have a review of cases like this where you're taking people and putting them on the street, without talking to the prosecutors in the case?" Devine asked. "It is unbelievable that that did not happen."
WMAQ-TV reported that Devine insists that, in some cases, the governor's information was just plain wrong. He called Ryan's actions a breech of faith and said the governor lied when he promised victims' families he would give each case a thorough review.
"I certainly don't rest any easier because these four are back on the street," Devine said. "If somebody does, they have a weird view of life."
He said the future of the four men should have been decided by the courts.
"Instead, they were ripped away from (the courts) by a man who is a pharmacist by training and a politician by trade," he said.
Devine said, "Yes the system is broken and the governor broke it today."
Devine's office is trying determine if the pardons could be challenged, but he said the clemency powers for an Illinois governor are among the broadest in the country.
NBC News was told that on Saturday, Ryan will grant blanket clemency to the remaining inmates on death row.
In an interview Friday, the governor said he is at peace with his decision.
"Will I have concerns a month from now, or two months from now, or a year from now about whether I've done the right thing or not?" Ryan asked. "Maybe. Because it is such an emotional issue and such a final issue."
Police were reserved in their reaction.
In a statement Friday night, Chicago Police Superintendent Terry Hillard (pictured, right) said, "These pardons involve cases directed by former Cmdr. John Burge, who disgraced the integrity and honor of the Chicago Police Department. Currently, a special prosecutor is working to determine whether criminal charges are appropriate."
Incoming Gov. Rod Blagojevich (pictured, left), a Democrat, called blanket clemency "a big mistake." Blagojevich said cases should be considered individually, adding: "You're talking about people who've committed murder."
Blagojevich said he doesn't intend to lift the moratorium on executions, but he also doesn't plan to intervene if courts impose death sentences in new cases.
Among those receiving clemency are a man and woman who were sentenced for murdering a pregnant woman, her 10-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son, and cut the baby from her womb. The baby survived.
Others on death row include two brothers who were convicted for beating a sleeping couple to death with baseball bats and a father who tortured his
mute, severely retarded and handicapped stepdaughter for five years until she died.
Illinois has the eighth largest death row in the nation. Since the death penalty was reinstated in 1977, Illinois has executed 12 men but released 13 others from death row because new evidence exonerated them or flaws were found in the way their cases were handled.
Other governors have issued commutations, but nothing on the scale of what Ryan has done. The most recent precedent for blanket clemency came in 1986 when the governor of New Mexico commuted the death sentences of the state's five death row inmates.
"The only other thing that would match what he's done is in 1972 the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the death penalty and 600 death sentences were reduced to life with that decision," said Richard Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center.
Ryan explained his decision in a letter to families of victims of the death row inmates, saying he is prepared to live with the fact that all people won't accept his actions.
"I am not prepared to take the risk that we may execute an innocent person or execute someone who really was not sentenced to death in a fair proceeding or under a reformed capital punishment system," Ryan said in the letter, dated Friday.
After learning of the commutations Saturday morning, Vern Feuling, whose son was murdered in 1985, was angry that the man convicted of the killing, Andrew Johnson, was taken off death row.
"My son is in the ground for 17 years and justice is not done," Feuling said. "This is like a mockery."
On Friday, Ryan announced he was granting pardons to four death row inmates. Hours later, Aaron Patterson, Madison Hobley and Leroy Orange walked out of prison. The fourth inmate, Stanley Howard remains in prison on another charge.
Ryan pardoned the three, along with Howard, saying they were tortured into making false confessions. Howard was convicted of a separate crime and not released.
Ryan has been at the center of the debate over capital punishment in the United States ever since he halted executions in Illinois three years ago.
Do you agree with Gov. Ryan's clemency decisions?
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"I don't know how you could stand by, the chief executive officer of the state of Illinois, and be the head of a state that condones executing innocent people," Ryan said.
At the governor's speech Friday, the governor was hailed as a hero by supporters of the death row inmates.
Cook County State's Attorney: 'Unbelievable'
Cook County State's Attorney Dick Devine (pictured, left) spoke to the press Friday evening about the governor's decision. An angry Devine asked why the governor listened only to defense attorneys, never -- he said -- talking to the prosecutors who hold a very different view.
"How can you have a review of cases like this where you're taking people and putting them on the street, without talking to the prosecutors in the case?" Devine asked. "It is unbelievable that that did not happen."
WMAQ-TV reported that Devine insists that, in some cases, the governor's information was just plain wrong. He called Ryan's actions a breech of faith and said the governor lied when he promised victims' families he would give each case a thorough review.
"I certainly don't rest any easier because these four are back on the street," Devine said. "If somebody does, they have a weird view of life."
He said the future of the four men should have been decided by the courts.
"Instead, they were ripped away from (the courts) by a man who is a pharmacist by training and a politician by trade," he said.
Devine said, "Yes the system is broken and the governor broke it today."
Devine's office is trying determine if the pardons could be challenged, but he said the clemency powers for an Illinois governor are among the broadest in the country.
NBC News was told that on Saturday, Ryan will grant blanket clemency to the remaining inmates on death row.
In an interview Friday, the governor said he is at peace with his decision.
"Will I have concerns a month from now, or two months from now, or a year from now about whether I've done the right thing or not?" Ryan asked. "Maybe. Because it is such an emotional issue and such a final issue."
Chicago Police Department Statement
Police were reserved in their reaction.
In a statement Friday night, Chicago Police Superintendent Terry Hillard (pictured, right) said, "These pardons involve cases directed by former Cmdr. John Burge, who disgraced the integrity and honor of the Chicago Police Department. Currently, a special prosecutor is working to determine whether criminal charges are appropriate."
Peoria County State's Attorney: 'Ryan Is Disingenous'
Peoria County State's Attorney Kevin Lyons attacked Ryan's use of the governor's clemency powers, among the broadest in the country. "The great, great majority of these people that have petitioned for commutation ... did not even contest their guilt. He's disingenuous when he says that certainty is the issue," Lyons said.Governor-Elect: 'Blanket Clemency A Big Mistake'
Incoming Gov. Rod Blagojevich (pictured, left), a Democrat, called blanket clemency "a big mistake." Blagojevich said cases should be considered individually, adding: "You're talking about people who've committed murder."
Blagojevich said he doesn't intend to lift the moratorium on executions, but he also doesn't plan to intervene if courts impose death sentences in new cases.
Among those receiving clemency are a man and woman who were sentenced for murdering a pregnant woman, her 10-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son, and cut the baby from her womb. The baby survived.
Others on death row include two brothers who were convicted for beating a sleeping couple to death with baseball bats and a father who tortured his
mute, severely retarded and handicapped stepdaughter for five years until she died.
Illinois has the eighth largest death row in the nation. Since the death penalty was reinstated in 1977, Illinois has executed 12 men but released 13 others from death row because new evidence exonerated them or flaws were found in the way their cases were handled.
Other governors have issued commutations, but nothing on the scale of what Ryan has done. The most recent precedent for blanket clemency came in 1986 when the governor of New Mexico commuted the death sentences of the state's five death row inmates.
"The only other thing that would match what he's done is in 1972 the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the death penalty and 600 death sentences were reduced to life with that decision," said Richard Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center.
Ryan explained his decision in a letter to families of victims of the death row inmates, saying he is prepared to live with the fact that all people won't accept his actions.
"I am not prepared to take the risk that we may execute an innocent person or execute someone who really was not sentenced to death in a fair proceeding or under a reformed capital punishment system," Ryan said in the letter, dated Friday.
After learning of the commutations Saturday morning, Vern Feuling, whose son was murdered in 1985, was angry that the man convicted of the killing, Andrew Johnson, was taken off death row.
"My son is in the ground for 17 years and justice is not done," Feuling said. "This is like a mockery."
On Friday, Ryan announced he was granting pardons to four death row inmates. Hours later, Aaron Patterson, Madison Hobley and Leroy Orange walked out of prison. The fourth inmate, Stanley Howard remains in prison on another charge.
Ryan pardoned the three, along with Howard, saying they were tortured into making false confessions. Howard was convicted of a separate crime and not released.
Ryan has been at the center of the debate over capital punishment in the United States ever since he halted executions in Illinois three years ago.
Do you agree with Gov. Ryan's clemency decisions?
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