President Joe Biden commuted the death sentences of 37 people on Monday, including two Illinois men. One was Ronald Mikos, a podiatrist convicted in 2005 of murdering Joyce Brannon, a patient and Medicare fraud witness, to prevent her testimony. Prosecutors alleged Mikos shot Brannon six times at point-blank range in her church basement apartment. Mikos was the last person sentenced to death in Illinois and maintained his innocence until his sentencing in 2006. His attorneys cited his advanced age (76), deteriorating health, and mental illnesses, including schizotypal personality disorder, as mitigating factors. They also suggested alternative suspects. While the jury found him guilty of murder and Medicare fraud, Brannon’s sister expressed her unwavering belief in Mikos’ guilt and lack of remorse. Mikos continues to challenge his conviction, claiming incompetence at trial and ineffective counsel. A federal judge recently ordered further review of some of his claims.
The second Illinois resident, Jorge Avila Torrez, a former Marine, was sentenced to death for strangling Navy officer Amanda Snell in Virginia in 2009. He later pleaded guilty to the 2005 murders of two young girls, Laura Hobbs (8) and Krystal Tobias (9), in Zion, Illinois. Torrez, who lived near Snell, hid her body in her barracks after the murder. The Zion murders initially led to the wrongful conviction of Laura Hobbs’ father, Jerry Hobbs, whose confession was later retracted after DNA evidence linked Torrez to the crime. Torrez was 16 at the time of the girls’ murders and acquainted with Krystal’s half-brother.
In his statement, President Biden explained that the commutations were consistent with his administration’s moratorium on federal executions, excluding terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder cases. He emphasized his opposition to a resumption of executions under a potential new administration. Mikos’ attorneys expressed gratitude for the clemency, highlighting the opportunity for peace and dignity in his remaining years.