GOP candidates debate death penalty stances
When it comes to creating jobs, ending government corruption and opposing abortion, each of the five candidates seeking the Republican nod in the Feb. 2 primary for the 41st House District march in step.
When it comes to lifting the state's moratorium on executions, however, Matt Burden, a 41-year-old director at the John G. Shedd Aquarium, says you can't have it both ways.
"You can't be pro-life and turn around and support the death penalty," Burden said. "Our prison system is there for reform but nobody ever gets to the point of being reformed. In Illinois it has been proven that evidence has been faked to sentence the wrong men to death row and we don't have precautions in place to avoid that happening again."
Agreeing that supporting the death penalty while being an abortion opponent is a "hard position to rectify with the doctrine of faith," Chris Nybo, a 32-year-old labor attorney said capitol punishment needs to be reserved for the worst of the worst.
"I think some crimes are so heinous that the government has the right to put an offender to death," he said. "Obviously the system had flaws in the past but I believe we can take additional steps to rectify those past problems and have a just system in place."
Michael Manzo, a 41-year-old chief of staff for Republican Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica, said he doesn't think his support of the death penalty contradicts at all with his Catholic values.
"To me, a beating heart after conception is life and after an abortion the heart is no longer beating. But that is killing an innocent child," Manzo said. "If you're on death row, I'd say you're far from innocent and likely took more than one other life and destroyed multiple families that will never recover."
Brien Sheahan, a seven-year veteran of the DuPage County Board, favors the death penalty but a more cautious approach.
"I support the death penalty, however I also think there needs to be greater parity in resources between prosecutors and public defenders," he said. "I also agree that we need to have very high standards for the lawyers who defend death penalty cases."
Rafael Rivadeneira could not be reached via e-mail and telephone.
Rivadeneira, however has touted himself as a "100 percent pro-life candidate... who believes each life has the right to be brought into this world."