When Illinois lawmakers decided to overhaul the state's...

When Illinois lawmakers decided to overhaul the state's death penalty system, they included a strong message to police officers: Lie on the stand and lose your badge. Governor Rod Blagojevich -- however -- disagrees with that approach. He used his veto powers to reject a provision that would let a police standards board decertify officers who commit perjury. That means the entire death penalty bill (HB472) went back to the Legislature, which will decide late this year whether to accept his changes or reverse them. The wide-ranging bill would offer defendants access to more evidence to defend themselves. It also would give courts more power to set aside death sentences. But the desertification provision riled police organizations, who say officers would be held to an unfair standard. Others say the provision is the only meaningful way to get at crooked cops. Senator John Cullerton sponsored the measure. And he predicts the Legislature will override the veto.