Posted on 08/17/2005 4:47:30 PM PDT by SmithL
CHICAGO - A federal judge ruled Wednesday that former Gov. George Ryan cannot present evidence during his upcoming corruption trial about his efforts to change the state's death penalty system.
"The court sees no meaningful relationship between Ryan's decisions regarding the death penalty and the offense conduct with which he is charged here," U.S. District Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer said.
Ryan, who has been widely praised for his actions on the death penalty, has pleaded innocent to racketeering charges. He is accused of accepting free vacations and other perks while doling out favors such as lucrative state contracts to lobbyist friends starting in 1990, when he was elected secretary of state.
While governor in 2000, Ryan halted executions in Illinois, saying the system that sent 13 wrongfully convicted men to death row was flawed. He cleared death row shortly before leaving office in 2003, pardoning four men and commuting the sentences of 167 others to life without parole.
Pallmeyer said those actions are irrelevant to the trial scheduled to start next month and have no place in the testimony.
"Ryan's legitimate official acts, such as commuting death sentences, are not alleged to be part of the scheme or conspiracy to commit fraud," the judge said.
Ryan's attorney, Dan Webb, and the U.S. Attorney's office declined to comment on the ruling.
The judge has her brain switched on - good on 'er!
"The court sees no meaningful relationship between Ryan's decisions regarding the death penalty and the offense conduct with which he is charged here..."
If corruption was a capital offense Chicago would become a ghost town...
And the Dallas City Council.
Ping!
AH, yes, the ol' "I am a Liberal so I'm allowed to be corrupt" defense.
Glad it didn't work.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.