We’re all still waiting to see whether or not Illinois Governor Pat Quinn will sign into law the proposed legislation on his desk which would abolish capital punishment in that state.  You can almost hear the sound of a thousand fingernails drumming impatiently on tabletops across the country ….

Meanwhile, over in Maryland it’s a…

On Tuesday, the Illinois State Senate sent a bill to the governor’s desk which will abolish the death penalty in that state … if Governor Pat Quinn will sign it.

Problem is, Governor Pat Quinn supports capital punishment.  The next day, instead of signing the bill into law, Governor Quinn reported that he would listen…

As the first week of 2011 unfolds, the Illinois Legislature is facing a huge budgetary crisis: it is $13 billion in the red, and this includes over $6 million of unpaid bills.  If Illinois were a person, it would be getting a lot of bill collector phone calls. 

In fact,Illinois is in very, very…

As the new year approaches, it appears that in 2011 there will be even more focus upon capital punishment in courtrooms, press rooms, and legislatures. 

The death penalty is being considered by several states.  Whether or not capital punishment should be available under a state’s penal code for sentencing in any case is being reviewed, albeit for very different reasons and…

The Death Penalty Information Center has issued its annual report on the state of capital punishment in this country.  According to the DPIC, the forty-six (46) executions that were  conducted this year constitute a twelve percent (12%) decrease in the death penalty.  (In 2009, there were 52 executions in the United States; in 2000, there…

There will be a longer post regarding the Grady Nelson trial that just finished yesterday, when the jury came back to tell us that they were recommending life and not death for Grady Nelson.  Shortly thereafter, Judge Hogan-Scola sentenced Nelson to life without parole.

For news coverage, see the Miami Herald and the Associated Press…

A lengthy report was issued last month by the Illinois Capital Punishment Reform Study Committee (read it in its entirety here).  Several reforms were suggested by the Committee (read them here) – but it doesn’t seem that much coverage has been provided the Committee’s efforts by the news media.

Or so…

This week, the results of the latest Gallup poll regarding capital punishment in the United States were released, and can be read in their entirety over at the Gallup site (which includes nice visuals). Here are some of their 2001 – 2010 findings, in summary:

Asked if they were in favor of the death penalty…