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Senator: Halt Federal
Executions
Clinton to Consider Suspending Capital Punishment for
Federal Crimes
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Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., sent President Clinton a
letter requesting that he suspend federal executions. (Joe
Marquette/AP Photo)
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The Associated Press
W A S H I N G T O N, Feb.
4 � President Clinton will consider a request that
he suspend federal executions, the White House said today. A spokesman
said Clinton is �certainly concerned� about Illinois� decision to halt
executions and evaluate how that state handles the death
penalty.
The suspension
request, made in a letter from Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., is being
reviewed by White House counsel, spokesman Joe Lockhart said. But he said
that does not guarantee that Clinton would act on the matter
soon.
�The president was certainly concerned
by the issues raised by the governor of Illinois,� Lockhart said. �If
there are legitimate concerns that are brought to us, we will look at the
concerns. But I can�t predict anything beyond that until we�ve had a
chance to study the issue.�
Feingold based his
request on Gov. George Ryan�s halt of executions in Illinois until
authorities determine whether the death penalty is administered fairly.
Since 1976, Illinois has executed 12 prisoners. But 13 death-row inmates
have been exonerated since 1987 through appeals, DNA evidence or, in a few
cases, persistent investigation by college journalism students.
Federal Courts
Issued 21 Death Sentences
In a letter dated Wednesday,
Feingold asked that Clinton suspend federal executions and have Attorney
General Janet Reno thoroughly review how the federal death penalty has
been used, �in light of the serious questions raised in Illinois and
elsewhere.�
�Before the federal government
executes anyone, the Justice Department should be absolutely certain that
innocents have not been condemned to death,� Feingold wrote. �It must
ensure that the federal death penalty is applied in a fair and just
manner.�
According to Feingold, sponsor of a
bill to abolish the federal death penalty, federal courts have sentenced
21 people to die, three-quarters of whom are
minorities.
Among the condemned is Oklahoma
City bomber Timothy McVeigh.
Another, Juan
Raul Garza, has exhausted his appeals and could become the first federally
executed prisoner since 1963. Garza, head of a marijuana-trafficking ring
in Brownsville, Texas, was sentenced to die for the murders of three men
he suspected of being police informants.
Nationally, 85 people have been freed from death row since 1973, according
to the Death Penalty Information Center. 
Copyright 2000 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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