Ill. Governor Condemns Capital Punishment

The speech, which took place in Van Hecke-Wettach Hall, was hosted by the School of Law.

Ryan, a Republican who received national media attention in January 2000 when he issued a moratorium on the death penalty in Illinois, was received warmly by students and faculty from several N.C. universities and by leaders from across the state, including N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice I. Beverly Lake.

Ryan briefly mentioned his three-year review of capital punishment in Illinois, which is aimed at reviewing the cases of 140 out of the 160 prisoners on death row who have chosen to appear before the review board.

Ryan ordered the review after finding that 13 times since 1977, death row inmates have been exonerated and only 12 inmates have been executed. "It's like flipping a coin -- heads or tails; life or death," he said.

One prisoner, Ryan said, came within two days of his execution before being released. In April, the review board issued a report to the Illinois legislature recommending more than 80 changes to the state's capital punishment system.

Ryan revealed that his dealing with the death penalty is personal and complicated. "I never planned on being involved in the debate on capital punishment," he said. "Not in my wildest dreams."

He said that at one time he believed firmly in capital punishment, including the use of the electric chair. He added that as an Illinois legislator, he voted to reinstate the death penalty.

Ryan recalled the first time as governor of Illinois that he had to decide whether to execute a man sentenced to lethal injection. "His life was in my hands," Ryan said. "It was an awesome responsibility. This was a misery that nobody should have to go through."

Although Ryan said he believes that the death penalty is justified in some cases, he added that he does not believe in the current system. "With each passing day, I have more nagging doubt about our entire criminal justice system," he said. "If we can't repair it, we should repeal it."

Tyson Baber, a first-year law student and a participant in the school's Innocence Program, said he admired Ryan for his pioneering efforts. But Baber, who is against the death penalty, said he was still a little unclear about Ryan's message. "I wasn't sure whether he was saying (capital punishment) could be allowed if the system were fixed," he said.

But Paula Ingram, who works for the Center for Death Penalty Litigation in Durham and who also is against capital punishment, said Ryan made clear his intentions when he said, "If you can't repair it, repeal it." She added that he implied through those words that the system never would work.

Ryan praised UNC's efforts in seeking justice. "I'm impressed by the efforts of North Carolina," he said. "You are the ones showing the courage. What I did was the only thing to do. It is not a popular or glamorous cause."

He also spoke to the law students specifically. "For the law students that are here today, you can make the system better," he said. "Remember the power you have ... and don't abuse that power. Let's do justice, and let's do it the right way. You are the real hope for the future."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.