Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 15 May 2018
Illinois governor seeks to reinstate death penalty

By JOHN O’CONNOR narrow view of that power.
AP Political Writer Rep. Jonathan Carroll, a
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Northbrook Democrat and
Eight years after Illinois House sponsor of the origi-
abolished the death pen- nal measure, would not
alty, the state’s Republican comment Monday, saying
governor on Monday pro- he needed time to exam-
posed reinstating the pun- ine Rauner’s action.
ishment for mass killers and Rauner’s proposal would
people who gun down po- allow a jury to impose the
lice officers. death penalty only in cases
Gov. Bruce Rauner tied where someone is found
the death penalty plan to guilty “beyond all doubt”
gun restrictions favored by — a higher standard than
Democrats who control the the constitutionally guaran-
Legislature — inserting it teed “reasonable doubt”
into legislation that length- requirement for most crimi-
ens the waiting period for nal cases. He told reporters
taking possession of rifles or that would eliminate cause
shotguns from 24 hours to for concern, noting that “so
72 hours, and adding other many times, the person is
limits on firearms possession. caught in the act” or “there
“I don’t believe that this is are multiple witnesses, and
anything other than very they’re fleeing the act.”
good policy, widely sup- But Robert Dunham, exec-
ported by the people of utive director of the Death
Illinois,” Rauner said of the In this May 8, 2018 photo, Gov. Bruce Rauner, center, addresses reporters outside his state Capitol Penalty Information Center
death penalty proposal office in Springfield, Ill. in Washington, D.C., said
while at the Illinois State Po- Associated Press Illinois is rife with examples
lice forensic laboratory in of questions about their John Cullerton of Chicago Legislature must approve of recanted eyewitness
Chicago. “These individuals guilt. Democratic Gov. Pat said in a statement that his changes. If lawmak- testimony and confessions
who commit mass murder, Quinn officially abolished “the death penalty should ers do not act, the whole beaten out of suspects by
individuals who choose to the death penalty in 2011. never be used as a politi- package will expire without police. Dunham, whose or-
murder a law enforcement Rauner, an unpopular first- cal tool to advance one’s becoming law. The Legis- ganization is officially neu-
officer, they deserve to term governor facing a agenda.”“Doing so is in lature could also vote to tral on the death penalty
have their life taken.” tough road to re-election large part why we had so override Rauner’s chang- but often criticizes its appli-
The last execution to be in November, used his many problems and over- es and enact the original cation, said a “beyond all
carried out in Illinois was in amendatory veto author- turned convictions,” Culler- waiting-period language. doubt” standard would still
1999, before Republican ity to add capital punish- ton said. Democrats have Steve Brown, spokesman be open to interpretation.
Gov. George Ryan issued a ment and other provisions introduced several propos- for House Democrats, said “Illinois’ death penalty his-
moratorium and later emp- to the gun bill, including a als to curb gun violence — the first task will be to deter- tory showed how arbitrary
tied death row, believing ban on bump stocks, the in response not only to mass mine whether Rauner ex- and unreliable the death
the system too fraught with rifle-firing speed accessory shootings elsewhere in the ceeded his authority. The sentence was and how
mistakes to be tenable. Illi- used in a mass shooting in U.S. but also because of Illinois Constitution says the susceptible it was to offi-
nois had executed 12 peo- Las Vegas last year. He also the Feb. 13 fatal shooting in governor may send a bill cial misconduct,” Dunham
ple in the decades since proposed giving the courts downtown Chicago of po- back “with specific recom- said. “Any suggestion that
the U.S. Supreme Court the authority to take guns lice Commander Paul Bau- mendations for change,” it should be brought back
reinstated capital punish- from people deemed dan- er. The bill now goes back and Democratic House without a full public discus-
ment in 1976, but 13 people gerous. Democrats pushed to the House. For Rauner’s Speaker Michael Madigan sion and full public hearings
had been freed because back. Senate President plan to become law, the has repeatedly taken a is incredibly reckless.”q

Former Nevada Sen. Harry Reid undergoes surgery for cancer

By MICHELLE L. PRICE cratic leader declined to He was also a champion
Associated Press seek re-election in 2016 of his home state’s gaming
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Former after more than three de- and tourism industry and
Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., cades in Congress. A 2015 built up a well-organized
was recovering after un- accident left him blind in Democratic machine in
dergoing surgery Monday one eye. Nevada.
at Johns Hopkins Cancer A former boxer who grew Well-wishers from both par-
Center in Baltimore to re- up poor in the small town of ties — including some for-
move a cancerous tumor Searchlight, Nevada, Reid mer Republican opponents
from his pancreas. rose to the one of the most in Congress — released
“His doctors caught the powerful positions in Ameri- statements of support for
problem early during a rou- can politics as Nevada’s Reid Monday. Republican
tine screening and his sur- longest-serving senator. Sen. John McCain tweet-
geons are confident that He helped propel the pas- ed, “From one cantanker-
the surgery was a success sage of President Barack ous senator to another,
In this Nov. 16, 2016 file photo, Senate Minority Leader Harry
Reid of Nev., pauses during a news conference on Capitol Hill in and that the prognosis for Obama’s signature health sending my prayers & best
Washington. Reid is recovering after quietly undergoing surgery his recovery is good,” the care law and blocked the wishes to @SenatorReid as
Monday. statement said. development of a nuclear he recovers from a suc-
Associated Press The former Senate Demo- waste dump in Nevada. cessful surgery.”q