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Groups Says Eliminating Death Penalty Can Save IL Money
The state of Illinois faces unprecedented budget problems, and one group believes it has an idea that would help. The Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty says the state could save millions by eliminating the death penalty.

Executive Director Jeremy Schroeder says the cost of the death penalty is far higher than housing an inmate for life in prison. He says Gov. Pat Quinn is proposing a $1.3 billion cut to education next year, while the state spends hundreds of millions on what he calls a broken system.

State Rep. Karen Yarbrough (D-Maywood) is sponsoring legislation to end the death penalty. The state has had a moratorium on the death penalty for 10 years and she says it is time to end it completely. State Sen. William Delgado (D-Chicago) is sponsoring identical legislation in the Senate.

In Illinois, in the 35 years since the current death penalty was enacted, 20 people have been exonerated from death row. Nathson Fields was the 19th person to be exonerated after spending 18 years in prison. He attended a new conference in Springfield, saying he hopes to see the death penalty end because he saw the pressure it caused for prisoners, including one man who committed suicide.

(Illinois Radio Network)
03 15 10 by Newsroom
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