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Friday is decade since Ryan emptied Illinois death row
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KANKAKEE, Ill. (AP) — It was ten years ago that former Gov. George Ryan commuted the sentences of 167 Illinois death row inmates. Friday's anniversary marks one decade since Ryan said he had to act because Illinois' capital system was 'haunted by the demon of error.' The now-imprisoned former governor made his announcement in a speech at Northwestern University's law school on Jan. 11, 2003. He said the state's justice system made errors determining guilt and errors determining who among the guilty deserved to die. The Republican was replaced as governor two days later by Democrat Rod Blagojevich, who also is now in prison. Rob Warden is executive director of the Center on Wrongful Convictions. He tells The (Kankakee) Daily Journal that Ryan 'set off a national movement focused on the death penalty.' 
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Today is Sunday, May 19, the 139th day of 2013. There are 226 days left in the year.
1863 -- 150 years ago: The Rt. Rev. Harry I. Witherspoon, D.D. Bishop of Illinois, willpreach in Trinity (Episcopal) Church, in this city this evening.
1888 -- 125 years ago: At 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon the Mississippi River flooded itsbanks at Rock Island, destroying the warehouse of the Rock Island Lumber companyand damaging the Lumber Company and arsenal power plant. Total loss isestimated at $100.000.
1913 -- 100 years ago: Residents of South Rock Island township are circulating a petitionfavoring the annexation of that area to the city of Rock Island.
1938 -- 75 years ago: Mrs. Thomas Ackles, of Rock Island, has been elected president ofthe Playcrafters for the next season. She succeeds Warren Leonard.
1963 -- 50 years ago: Some 8,000 people filed through the gates of Rock Island Arsenal on Saturday to view a display of a part of the nation's armed strength. The occasion was theannual observance of Armed Forces Day.
1988 -- 25 years ago: Willis Kuschmann, of Moline, who already has won his laurels as oneof the most artistic men in the Quad-Cities area, has a new hobby. He is deeply involvedin miniature railroading. At the age of 88, when many other seniors are dozing in theirchairs or sitting before the television, Mr. Kuschmann is planning and working on hiscollection.
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