It’s been reported that Governor JB Pritzker will be at the Lincoln Statue at the State Capitol this morning to commemorate the Illinois State Police’s centennial anniversary with a press conference to follow.

As a reminder, a man who was previously denied parole and had served roughly 15% of his sentence for the murder of a state trooper was recently released by Pritzker’s Prisoner Review Board (PRB), utilizing new measures signed into law by the Governor to gain his freedom. The slain trooper’s family was not given the opportunity to object to the killer’s early release.

As reported by the Effingham Daily News…

The man who killed Illinois State Police Trooper Layton Davis in 1976 was released from prison Thursday under a new law that allows parole for medical reasons.

Aaron Hyche, 71, who fired the shot that killed Davis, had been denied parole after a hearing in August. A relative of the trooper said the family was initially told the medical hearing would not be until March, and was surprised when Hyche was released before they could object.

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The trooper’s family is upset they didn’t get to voice opinions about Hyche to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board.

It’s hard to square Pritzker’s honoring of state law enforcement today when he continues to stand by his handpicked PRB that voted to release Hyche. 

PRB member Eleanor Wilson, who voted to release the cop killer’s accomplice, James Taylor, resigned this week rather than face further scrutiny for her decisions to release violent criminals from prison early. Pritzker praised Wilson, saying, “The Governor is disappointed that a highly qualified nominee will no longer be able to serve on the Prisoner Review Board and he thanks Eleanor Wilson for her service and dedication to justice.”

We have just one question for the Governor. On a day meant to remember the history and sacrifices of our state troopers, will Pritzker apologize to the family of Trooper Layton Davis?

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