George H. Ryan Sr.

Former Governor of Illinois George Ryan's journey from death penalty proponent to death penalty opponent. He defied the political winds and endured the fury and agony of the families of the victims and the condemned as well as politicians, prosecutors and law enforcement. It is a story of courage and faith. It is a timely reminder of the heroic acts of a Republican Governor who was moved by conscience, his faith and a disturbing factual record of death row Synopsis: In January 2000, Illinois Governor George Ryan declared a moratorium on executions -- the first such action by any governor in the history of the United States.

Despite a long history as a death penalty proponent, Ryan was emotionally moved after allowing an execution in 1999. He was also profoundly disturbed by the state's history -- 12 men had been executed and 13 had been exonerated since the return of the death penalty in Illinois in 1977. More had been proven innocent than had been executed.

Three years later, in 2003, Ryan pardoned four death row inmates based on their actual innocence and then commuted the death sentences of 167 men and women. This was the largest death row commutation in U.S. history.

A fascinating and impressively informative read from beginning to end, Governor George Ryan's "Until I Could Be Sure: How I Stopped the Death Penalty in Illinois" was written with the able assistance of Maurice Possley.

Carl Logan

Reviewer