Illinois is second only to Florida in the number of...

Illinois is second only to Florida in the number of inmates released from death row after new evidence of innocence emerged. Since 1994, Illinois has led the country in the most inmates released (12), with 3 inmates released in 1999: Anthony Porter, Steven Smith, and Ronald Jones. Porter came within hours of execution in 1998 and was only spared because questions about his mental capacity convinced a judge to delay his execution. In the interim, investigators and students working with Northwestern University's School of Journalism discovered the real killer, who confessed on videotape. On January 5, Porter was immediately released and all charges were dropped. The high number of mistakes being discovered among death row cases has prompted hearings and reviews by the state legislature, the courts, and the Governor's office. Numerous changes have been recommended, including a moratorium on all executions. Meanwhile, individual cases are being closely scrutinized, and executions have ground to a halt.