Death penalty puts families in limbo

As a murder victim's family member, I am grateful Illinois may soon repeal the death penalty. Because of the terrible mistakes we've made in the past sentencing innocent people to death, the death penalty process in Illinois takes forever and subjects family members to a torturous process.

If instead the offenders were all sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, families would be free to move forward with their lives instead of being trapped in the criminal justice system for decades. It breaks my heart to see families waiting and waiting for an execution that is decades in the making and may never even come.

I am especially glad that the bill before the General Assembly will take some of the money we currently spend on the death penalty and invest it in victims' services that can benefit all of us.

Gail Rice

Palos Heights