CHICAGO (AP) — The fate of Illinois' death penalty rests with Gov. Pat Quinn.
Quinn will decide whether execution will remain a possible punishment after years of overturned convictions, reforms to fix the state's broken capital punishment system and a legislative fight to abolish it.
The Chicago Democrat has a March 18 deadline to act on an abolition measure passed by lawmakers.
He has gotten advice from victims' families, law enforcement officials and religious leaders. Among them are retired Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa and well-known death penalty foe Sister Helen Prejean, the inspiration for the movie "Dead Man Walking."
The Death Penalty Information Center says Illinois is one of 35 states that has the death penalty; 15 states and the District of Columbia do not.
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