SR1530 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1530 LRB101 22496 MST 73580 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Karen L. Daniel, who passed away on December 26, 2019 at the age of 62; and

WHEREAS, Karen Daniel was born on February 1, 1957 to Mary K. Daniel and the late Richard H. Daniel and grew up in Los Angeles; and

WHEREAS, Karen Daniel earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Davis and then earned her law degree from Harvard Law School; she moved to Chicago in 1981; and

WHEREAS, Karen Daniel began her career in the State Appellate Defender's Office, the agency that provides representation to indigent inmates in appeals; in 2000, she was hired by Lawrence Marshall to work with the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University School of Law, after he heard about her reputation as a brilliant attorney with a huge heart; and

WHEREAS, Karen Daniel started as a part-time appointee and eventually became the co-director of the Center on Wrongful Convictions; she was responsible for the release and exoneration of many wrongfully convicted people throughout her career; at least 20 people regained their freedom due to her work; and

WHEREAS, Karen Daniel retired from the Center on Wrongful Convictions and was set to take a new job at the Exoneration Project affiliated with the University of Chicago; she was always working and was extremely dedicated to righting the injustices of the criminal justice system; and

WHEREAS, Karen Daniel was recently named Professor Emerita of Law at Northwestern University School of Law; she taught and mentored hundreds of students, inspiring many to pursue a career helping the wrongfully convicted; she earned respect for her commitment to helping others and never assumed that an individual was guilty just because they were in prison; and

WHEREAS, Karen Daniel was not afraid to take the hard cases; her perseverance in the fight for justice was matched only by her care for her clients; she will be remembered for her dedication to those wrongfully convicted as well as her love for her family and friends; and

WHEREAS, Karen Daniel is survived by her husband, Alan Goldberg; her son, Scott Daniel Goldberg; her stepchildren, Julia (Daniel) Alamillo and Laura and Diana Goldberg; her granddaughter, Sophia; her sister, Kelly (David) Selva; her mother; and many friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing Karen L. Daniel and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Karen Daniel as an expression of our deepest sympathy.