Deposition from Gov. Ryan becomes public

CHICAGO, March 1 (UPI) -- A deposition former Illinois Gov. George Ryan gave a year ago has become his first public statement since his imprisonment.

Ryan was questioned by lawyers defending the city of Chicago in a lawsuit by a man convicted of rape more than 50 years ago, the Chicago Tribune reported. Oscar Walden, who was pardoned by Ryan long after his release from prison, said he was coerced into confessing, but a jury ruled against him last week.

The Chicago Sun-Times obtained parts of the deposition last week.

Ryan talked about his pardons of death row inmates. He said he was moved by news of Anthony Porter, who was cleared after 15 years on death row, and by an encounter with a high school classmate whose son, who had mental problems, had been sentenced to death for killing a police officer.

He said it is a "bad bad situation" when an innocent man could spend 15 years waiting to be executed.

"You know how close he came to getting executed? About 48 hours," Ryan said. "

They ordered his meal, measured him for his burial suit, and they were ready to juice the guy."

Ryan refused to answer questions about the bribery and corruption scandal that led to his conviction and 6 1/2 year federal sentence. He is now being held in a federal prison camp in Indiana.