Lura Lynn's illness may not help Ryan's appeal

Rob Wildeboer | Dec. 20, 2010

(AP/file)

One legal expert says the former Illinois first lady's worsening health may not guarantee her husband's appeal.

Lura Lynn Ryan is expected to undergo a biopsy of the liver sometime this week. Her doctors couldn't do the test when they discovered she has lung cancer last week because she was on blood thinners.

Doctors say she may only have three to six months to live, but her ill health may not have that much sway on whether her husband is released from prison. Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan's attorneys want some of his convictions thrown out because they rely on the so-called honest services statute, parts of which the U.S. Supreme Court have found to be unconstitutional.

Ryan's lawyers have asked a judge to release him on bail while his petition is considered.

Mrs. Ryan's illness gives that request some added urgency, but attorney Jeff Steinback, who's worked on a lot of high-profile cases, says it won't be the primary consideration.

He says, in deciding whether to release Ryan on bail, the judge will be focussed on how likely it is that Ryan's appeal will be successful, whether his convictions will actually be overturned.

"No judge wants to see an individual do what's known as dead time, or time they wouldn't have to do otherwise if they were successful," said Steinback.

Ryan is not challenging all the counts he was convicted on. But if he can get some of them thrown out, then he'd likely be re-sentenced to less time, and his attorneys hope he would be released immediately. He's already served three years of his six and a-half-year sentence.

Lura Lynn Ryan is expected to undergo a biopsy of the liver sometime this week.

Her doctors say she may only have 3 to 6 months to live but her ill health may not have that much sway on whether her husband is released from prison.

WBEZ's Robert Wildeboer has more.

Former Illinois Governor George Ryan's attorneys want some of his convictions thrown out and they say he should be out on bail while the issue is considered.

Mrs. Ryan's illness gives that request some added urgency but attorney Jeff Steinback, who's worked on a lot of high profile cases, says it won't be the primary consideration.

He says, in deciding whether to release Ryan on bail, the judge will be focussed on how likely it is that Ryan's appeal will be successful.

STEINBACK: No judge wants to see an individual do what's known as dead time, or time they wouldn't have to do otherwise if they were successful.

Ryan's not challenging all the counts he was convicted of but if he can get some of them thrown out then he'd likely be re-sentenced to less time and his attorneys hope he would be released immediately due to the three years he's already served.

Robert Wildeboer, WBEZ.

Comments

Dr Linda Shelton wrote:

We incarcerate 40 times more people than any civilized country in the world. If Illinois was England instead of 45,000 prisoners in IDOC there would be 1100.

Most prisoners are not allowed to see even their dying child. Ryan should not get special treatment. Should Madoff be able to go to his son's funeral?

I was totally innocent jailed by a corrupt judge Michael McHale in Cook County in retaliation for my whistle blowing and my family had to pay Cook Co Jail $400 to have them take me in chains in my wheelchair to view my dad's body and the guards grabbed my religious material out of my hands and stomped on it and then took me away after just a few minutes because I was crying in grief.

It was not my father's fault that Cook County officials and judges are corrupt either!

You should understand the injustice of the Myth of American Justice. Ryan did wrong - I wish he could be with his wife, but he MUST NOT HAVE any special treatment. Let his supporters have a grass roots campaign to change our corrupt Illinois government and corrupt injustice system.

Read about my case on cookcountyjudges.wordpress.com

Wed Dec 22 2010, 11:59 AM

highfliers2 wrote:

Whether or not former Gov. Ryan is your favorite person, he is paying for his crimes and has been for 3 years. He is no longer a threat to society and to allow him time at home to spend with his terminally ill wife would be the right thing to do. What purpose would now be served by keeping him incarcerated? His wife would probably benefit greatly with the comfort of having her husband by her side in her final days. Are we that heartless to deny her that? I am certainly no fan of his, but enough is enough. Let him be released on bail.

Tue Dec 21 2010, 9:41 AM

Diana Tull wrote:

I have had a liver biopsy and it is a rough test. I pray our lord holds her hand in the days ahead. I do not like what her husband did but it is not her fault.

Mon Dec 20 2010, 8:58 PM

Dr Linda Shelton wrote:

Prisoners are not released early because a child or parent or relative is dying. My father died while I was illegally jailed in September - I was totally innocent. George Ryan should not be released - no special treatment please.