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National Alliance of Sentencing Advocates & Mitigation Specialists | About NASAMS | NASAMS Membership | NASAMS Awards | NASAMS Meetings

Former Illinois Governor George Ryan to Keynote NLADA Life in the Balance Conference


Participants and partners focused on a common goal will converge at NLADA's Life in the Balance, the nation's largest capital defense seminar, March 18 - 22, 2005 in New Orleans, LA. The Federal Death Penalty Resource Counsel, Project & Capital Resource Counsel; the National Association of Sentencing Advocates; and the American Bar Association Death Penalty Representation Project have partnered with NLADA to meet the unique needs of our capital defense team members as well as our general capital defense community. Presentations will be presented on cutting edge forensic science, mental retardation, mental illness dovetailed with skills training for investigators, mitigation specialists and defense lawyers.

On Sunday, March 20 at 8:00 a.m., Former Illinois Governor George H. Ryan will present the conference keynote address, focusing on his personal journey opposing the death penalty, evolving into a staunch advocate against its imposition. During a single term as governor of Illinois, he established himself around the world as a leading advocate for the reform of his state's troubled capital punishment system and as a political pioneer who was never afraid to break down partisan and ideological barriers to enhance the lives of the people who elected him to serve.

Between 1999 and 2003, Governor Ryan successfully led a forward-looking, efficient and effective administration that stressed advancements in education, a higher standard of living for the state's residents and improvements to Illinois' human and physical infrastructure. In 2003, after an exhaustive study documenting serious flaws in the Illinois capital punishment system Governor Ryan commuted to life in prison the sentences of all 156 inmates awaiting execution in the state's prisons. This act of courage, justice and fairness was a first for any governor of any state in the union and underscored Governor Ryan's fear that the flawed administration of Illinois' capital punishment laws might some day lead to the execution of an innocent man or woman.

Troubled by these numbers, Governor Ryan in 2000 became the first state chief executive to place a moratorium on any further executions while an intensive study of the capital punishment system was undertaken. That study produced more than 80 suggested reforms designed to prevent the ultimate miscarriage of justice earned Governor Ryan both controversy and praise from around the United States and from around the world, as well as a nomination for the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize.

Life in the Balance -- Bringing the Best in Capital Training to You!


For more information visit: www.nlada.org/training.


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