North Egypt News

State Rep. Dave Severin (R-Marion) is defending his push for restoring the death penalty in Illinois for those who kill police officers as an act that “is past time.”

Severin recently filed House Bill 476, which seeks to give juries the option of administering the death penalty in cases of first-degree murder of a peace officer killed while performing his or her official duties.

“In 2021, 76 police officers in the city of Chicago were either shot or shot at,” Severin posted on his website. “Recently, we sadly lost a Wayne County Sheriff’s Deputy and a Village of Bradley, Illinois police officer to murderous criminals. The people of Illinois are living in a ridiculous and unacceptable new normal where our police officers are being targeted by violent criminals at alarming rates.”

Severin argues restoring the death penalty would send the message that Springfield is serious about protecting the people that keep the state safe.

“Criminals need to know that severe consequences await them if they take up arms against our police officers,” he said. “Reinstating the option for juries to impose the death penalty on cop killers is just one way to demonstrate we’re serious about changing the direction of criminal justice in this state.”

Severin challenged Democrats to get on board and “help us pass this urgent and necessary legislation.”

State Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Louisville) is also pushing similar legislation in the form of Senate Bill 3899. The bill proposes enacting the Capital Crimes Litigation Act of 2022, which would steer funding and other resources for cases where an individual is sentenced to death. The stiffer sentencing would also be in play for those found guilty of killing a firefighter while in the line of duty.

Currently seeking the Republican nomination for governor, Bailey said he filed the bill because officers are "under attack" and lawmakers in Springfield have failed them.

The filing of both bills comes after Bradley police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic was recently gunned down with her own gun while already down pleading for her life. Officer Tyler Bradley was also critically wounded in the attack, which took place at a hotel

Police have since charged Darius Sullivan and Xandria Harris in connection with the shooting, with Kankakee County State’s Attorney Jim Rowe saying he plans to seek life sentences on the state charges while also requesting that the Justice Department review the case with the intention of pursuing federal death penalty charges.

Thousands of mourners also recently turned out to pay their respects for Wayne County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Riley, who was gunned down along Interstate 64. The suspected gunman was nabbed that same day and now faces a first-degree murder charge.