Ill. death penalty repeal goes to governor

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Jan. 12 (UPI) -- A bill that would abolish the death penalty in Illinois is on its way to Gov. Pat Quinn for consideration, having been approved by the Illinois Senate.

The Illinois Senate, on a 32-25 vote, approved the measure Wednesday; the House approved it last week, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Wednesday.

"We have a historic opportunity today," Sen. Kwame Raoul, the bill's chief Senate sponsor, said during debate. "We have an opportunity to part company ... with countries that are the worst human-rights violators and join the civilized world and end this practice of risking putting to death innocent people."

Bill opponents said eliminating the death penalty would remove an important tool from prosecutors, the Sun-Times reported.

"It's a question of righting the greatest wrong. It is not a question, I repeat, of vengeance. It's a question of the people being outraged at such terrible crimes," such as the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States and the recent shooting rampage in Arizona that left six dead and 14 injured, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., said Sen. William Haine, who voted against the bill.

A Quinn aide didn't reveal the governor's position on the legislation.

"Gov. Quinn plans to review the bill when he receives it from the legislature," spokeswoman Annie Thompson said.

The Democratic governor said he supports "capital punishment when applied carefully and fairly," the Chicago Tribune reported, but also backed the moratorium on executions enacted 10 years ago by former Gov. George Ryan, a Republican.