Juror: Pardoning Ryan would send wrong message

'I'm shocked that he thinks he's never done anything wrong'

If former Gov. George Ryan is pardoned, it would be a slap in the face to the justice system, says a juror who was among those to return his 2006 conviction. Juror James Cwick told the Sun-Times Wednesday that if President Bush commuted Ryan's 6 1/2 year sentence or pardoned him, it would send the wrong message to other corrupt politicians.

Ryan has served just more than a year of his sentence.

"One year? That's a walk in the park," Cwick said. "It sets a precedent for other politicians and people in power that they can continue business as usual."

If released when Bush leaves office, Ryan would get out before his codefendant, Larry Warner, who -- unlike Ryan -- was contrite about his wrongdoing, another juror, Kevin Rein said.

"And at least Larry Warner at the end was sorry for what he did. As far as I can see, Gov. Ryan never said he was sorry," Rein said.

After a six-month trial, Ryan was convicted in a racketeering scheme that included charges that he steered state contracts to friends in exchange for cash, gifts and vacations. He was also convicted of killing a probe into a crash involving the deaths of six children and an unlicensed trucker when Ryan was secretary of state.

"After the verdict, a lot of people came up to me and said: 'You guys may have convicted him, but he won't do a day in jail," Rein said. "The fact that he's done some time, is beyond what a lot of people thought he would do."

On Tuesday, Sen. Dick Durbin said he's considering backing Ryan's petition for a pardon. Ryan's wife, Lura Lynn Ryan, pleaded for her husband to be released and said his conscience was clear.

"When you look at all the evidence, you go through it and you see all that they did," said Cwick. "I'm shocked that he thinks he's never done anything wrong."