© 2024 WNIJ and WNIU
Northern Public Radio
801 N 1st St.
DeKalb, IL 60115
815-753-9000
Northern Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Illinois' Death Row Wouldn't Change

By Dan Klefstad

DeKalb – Illinois' current death row prisoners are not covered by the Death Penalty Bill being considered by Governor Pat Quinn. That's according the state Corrections Department. Spokesperson Sharyn Elman says the state's 15 death row inmates would still be covered by the moratorium signed by former Governor George Ryan. Elman says Governor Quinn has three options for these prisoners. He could continue them on the moratorium, meaning they would remain in the Condemned Unit indefinitely. Quinn could also commute their sentences. The final option, according to Elman, is that Quinn could lift the moratorium and make these prisoners eligible for execution. Any repeal of the death penalty would only affect prisoners convicted after June 30th. Elman provided a list of inmates in the Condemned Unit (see below). She says conditions are similar to Maximum Security.

Name (Committing County):

Anthony Mertz (Coles)

Ricardo Harris (Cook)

Teodoro Baez (Cook)

Cecil Sutherland (Jefferson)

Andrew Urdiales (Cook)

Joseph Bannister (Cook)

Paul Runge (Cook)

Dion Banks (Cook)

Gary Pate (White)

Daniel Ramsey (Hancock)

Eric Hanson (DuPage)

Rodney Adkins (Cook)

David Damm (Jo-Daviess)

Brian Dugan (DuPage)

Edward Tenney (DuPage)