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Illinois abolishes death penalty, clears death row
For a mother who lost her son to violence, Illinois' decision to abolish the death penalty is a betrayal. But to a father who lost two daughters and a grandson, it's simply the Christian thing to do.
And to a man who was sentenced to die for a crime he didn't commit, it's a civilized step that may inspire other states to halt executions.
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn's signature on legislation getting rid of the death penalty provoked an extraordinary array of emotions Wednesday–almost all of them intense.
When the abolition law takes effect July 1, Illinois becomes the 16th state without a death penalty.
Most nations, including virtually all of Europe, have abandoned the death penalty. Among the 58 that still use it, according to Amnesty International, are the United States, China, Thailand, Egypt, Iran, Iraq and Japan.
Quinn's action capped two decades of argument and soul-searching over the possibility that Illinois would wind up executing an innocent person.