The trend is away from death penalty

I respect that Gov. Quinn is going to reflect carefully on whether or not Illinois should officially be done with the death penalty. I trust that he will arrive at the same conclusion most do: We’ll be better off without the death penalty. No other Western democracy still has the death penalty. We join China, Saudi Arabia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Pakistan as the leading executioners. Most major religions have statements condemning the death penalty in theory or practice.

Both chambers of the Illinois legislature reflected carefully and decided Illinois will be better off without the death penalty. And in the last few years three other states have decided they don’t need it. History is swinging away from executions; I hope that Illinois will be on the right side of history.

Peg O’Herron

Schaumburg