SR0468

LRB093 21541 RLC 48738 r






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SENATE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, On May 4, 2000, the Governor of the State of 
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Illinois issued Executive Order No. 4 that created the 
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Governor's Commission On Capital Punishment; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The duties of the Commission were: (1) to study 
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and review the administration of the capital punishment process 
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in Illinois to determine why that process has failed in the 
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past, resulting in the imposition of death sentences upon 
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innocent people; (2) to examine  ways of providing safeguards 
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and making improvements in the way law enforcement and the 
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criminal justice system carry out their responsibilities in the 
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death penalty process from investigation through trial, 
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judicial appeal, and executive review; (3) to consider,  among 
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other things, the ultimate findings and final recommendations 
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of the House Death Penalty Task Force and the Special Supreme 
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Court Committee on Capital Cases and determine the effect these 
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recommendations may have on the capital punishment process; and 
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(4) to  make any recommendations and proposals designed to 
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further ensure that  the application and administration of the 
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death penalty in Illinois is just, fair, and accurate; and
 
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    WHEREAS, In April 2002, the Commission issued its 
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recommendations; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Recommendation No. 83 was among the Commission's 
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recommendations and provided that the Illinois Supreme Court 
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should consider ways to broaden the application of many of the 
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recommendations made by the Commission to improve the criminal 
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justice system as a whole; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Section 16 of Article VI of the Illinois 
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Constitution vests general administrative and supervisory 
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authority over all courts in the Supreme Court of Illinois; and
 
 


 






SR0468
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LRB093 21541 RLC 48738 r




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    WHEREAS, In accordance with this authority, the Illinois 
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Supreme Court has adopted rules governing trial procedures in 
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criminal cases; and
 
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    WHEREAS, The adoption of Commission Recommendation No. 83 
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by the Illinois Supreme Court would serve the best interests of 
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the Illinois criminal justice system; therefore, be it
 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Illinois 
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Supreme Court to adopt Recommendation No. 83 of the Governor's 
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Commission On Capital Punishment; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this Resolution be 
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presented to the Honorable Mary Ann G. McMorrow, Chief Justice 
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of the Illinois Supreme Court.