"Ryan opens up, talks about praying for Willis children," is by Michael Sneed of the Chicago Sun-Times. For those who have followed Governor Ryan's troubles, it's a must-read.
At 12:01 a.m. Wednesday morning, former Gov. George Ryan officially became a free man and opened up publicly for the first time about the tragic deaths of the Willis children — and how he prays for them daily.
“I am no longer on probation and am free to travel . . . and talk,” said Ryan, who was released from a five year stint in federal prison on corruption charges last year.
And:
“And I’d like to continue to be part of the process to end the death penalty in the United States.”
The article also notes that he is currently writing a book.
"Off Supervision, George Ryan Talks About Time In Prison," is the AP report, via WUIS-FM
Former Gov. George Ryan has finished a year of supervision following his release from home confinement last summer after a prison sentence for corruption convictions.
Ryan was released from prison in January 2013 and was confined to his home until last July. At the time his lawyer and friend former Gov. Jim Thompson said that Ryan was subject to another year of supervision and some travel restrictions. That ends this week.
Ryan spoke to the Chicago Sun-Times in a story published Wednesday, offering some details of his time in prison and since being released. He says some prison guards "made things a little rough" because they were not happy with his decision as governor to put a moratorium on the death penalty.
In 2000, while he was Governor of Illinois, he imposed a moratorium on executions in the state and appointed a blue ribbon commission to examine the state's application of capital punishment. The Report of the Governor's Commission on Capital Punishment was issued in 2002, containing 85 specific recommendations ranging from law enforcement investigative techniques through the clemency process.
In 2003, Ryan commuted the sentences of everyone on Illinois' death row. Successive governors kept the Ryan-imposed moratorium in place.
On March 9, 2011, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed the legislation that repeal the state's death penalty.
Earlier coverage of George Ryan begins at the link.
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