Illinois Capital Punishment Laws

Like most other states, Illinois had the death penalty for years. It wasn't until Republican Gov. George Ryan imposed a moratorium on capital punishment in 2000, citing flaws in the system. He became concerned about wrongful convictions and inadequate defenses for innocent people.

Before this, Ryan was a strong supporter of the death penalty. But when he saw the increase in exonerations of death row inmates, he decided it was time for a change. After the long moratorium, Illinois Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn signed a bill in 2011 that made Illinois the 16th state to abolish the death penalty for good.

Here, we'll offer a brief history of the death penalty in Illinois. We will also discuss the state of capital punishment in the United States and the State of Illinois. If you're facing a possible death sentence or have a loved one on death row, it's a good idea to consult an Illinois criminal defense attorney.

Status of the Death Penalty in the United States

Less than 30% of the countries worldwide have capital punishment, including the U.S. The American criminal justice system executes more people than almost any other country. China, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia are the only other nations that come close.

Now, 27 states still pursue capital cases. Seven of these states have put executions on hold but still have capital punishment on the books. These states include Arizona, California, Oregon, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

The other 20 states still impose death sentences and carry out executions, including Florida, Georgia, and Texas.

While Illinois no longer has the death penalty, there are inmates in the state with federal convictions for capital crimes. The government has already executed six of these federal prisoners through the third quarter of 2024, and 19 more Illinois death row inmates are scheduled to die before the end of the year.

New Mexico, New York, Utah, and Virginia are some other states that no longer impose the death penalty.

The most common method of execution is lethal injection. Some states will have alternate methods, such as the electric chair.

Brief History of Capital Punishment in Illinois

According to the Death Penalty Information Center, Illinois had executed 360 people, 358 men and two women, before Ryan's moratorium.

The first execution in Illinois was John Killduck, whom the state hanged for murder on July 14, 1819. Illinois's preferred method of execution was hanging until 1962 when lawmakers switched to electrocution. In 1990, the state changed the method once again, this time to lethal injection.

The last execution in Illinois took place on March 7, 1999, when the state executed Andrew Kokoraleis, accused of taking part in the kidnappings, rapes, and mutilation murders of 18 women.

Today, the maximum sentence in Illinois is life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. There have not been new death penalty cases in Illinois for decades.

For more information about Illinois capital punishment laws, check out the links below. For more details about the history of capital punishment in the U.S., see FindLaw's Death Penalty section.

Note: State laws are constantly changing. Contact an Illinois criminal defense attorney or conduct legal research to verify your state laws.

Related Resources for Capital Punishment Laws

• Illinois First-Degree Murder Laws
• History of Death Penalty Laws
• Find a Criminal Law Attorney