This afternoon the Illinois Senate joined the Illinois House or Representatives in voting to abolish the death penalty. The vote was 32 in favor, 25 against, with 2 abstentions. If Governor Pat Quinn signs the bill into law, Illinois will become the 16th state in the USA to ban capital punishment, and the 3rd in the last 4 years.
And more states may be on the way, with hot debates on death penalty abolition expected in states as diverse as Connecticut, Kansas, Maryland and Montana.Â
These debates and votes reflect the growing public disillusionment with (and in more and more cases rejection of) capital punishment, with its errors and biases, its ineffectiveness, and its dubious morality.
Whether Governor Quinn in Illinois will sign or veto this bill remains to be seen. Stay tuned!