MARIA NAGLE
Gov. Pat Quinn’s inaction has pushed back a prosecutor’s decision about whether he will seek the death penalty in a Morgan County murder case.
State’s Attorney Chris Reif was granted an extension Tuesday to decide whether to pursue death by lethal injection for Steven Mark Pryer if he is convicted of first-degree murder.
Reif has until March 18 to make a decision.
Legislation to abolish the state’s death penalty has been passed on to the governor, who has until March 12 to sign or veto the bill. If Quinn does nothing the bill becomes law on July 1.
“The state believes it may be a more appropriate protection of the defendant’s constitutional rights to wait until a decision is made by the governor to determine the state’s course of action with respect to the death penalty,” Reif said in his motion for an extension.
Pryer’s jury trial has been pushed back to May.
