Gov. George Ryan is considering whether to commute...

Gov. George Ryan is considering whether to commute the sentences of all 163 inmates on Illinois' death row. The moderate Republican acknowledged the possibility in a speech last weekend at a University of Oregon law school symposium. The governor imposed a moratorium on executions in January 2000 moratorium after several inmates condemned to die were found to have been falsely accused. Ryan cited statistics showing that since Illinois reinstated executions in 1977, 12 people had been executed, while 13 death-row inmates had been exonerated by the courts.