By Dave Dahl
SPRINGFIELD – Some Republican lawmakers are dissatisfied with the answers – or lack of answers – they are getting about convicts being let out of prison to make the prisons less susceptible to coronavirus outbreaks.
“Some of the part of release is that the victims are notified — or at least the victims’ families, in the case of the 47 murderers,” said State Rep. John Cabello (R-Machesney Park). “We need to make sure that all these processes have been followed, and I sure hope these people don’t re-offend, because I will hold this governor responsible.”
The lawmakers held a Zoom news conference Monday, with Cabello sitting before a large sign reading “47 MURDERERS.”
State Rep. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) said she’s fighting for the people who work in prisons. “I sent an email to the Department of Corrections as well as to the governor’s office, asking that when the tactical teams returned to their facilities, that they get a minimum of fourteen days of quarantine paid. Some of them have actually been sent to a hospital tent at Stateville with offenders that are the most difficult to control within the facility or those who were COVID-positive or had been exposed.”
The governor has said his obligation on this is to work with the Prisoner Review Board.
Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected].
