§ 45 — Commission proceedings

(a) At the completion of a formal inquiry, all relevant evidence shall be presented to the full Commission. As part of its proceedings, the Commission may conduct hearings. The determination as to whether to conduct hearings is solely in the discretion of the Commission. Any hearing held in accordance with this Section shall be a public hearing and shall be held subject to the Commission's rules of operation, and conducted pursuant to the Open Meetings Act. (b) The Director shall use all due diligence to notify the victim at least 30 days prior to any proceedings of the full Commission held in regard to the victim's case. The Commission shall notify the victim that the victim is permitted to attend proceedings otherwise closed to the public, subject to any limitations imposed by this Act, and subject to Section 2(c)(14) of the Open Meetings Act. If the victim plans to attend proceedings otherwise closed to the public, the victim shall notify the Commission at least 10 days in advance of the proceedings of his or her intent to attend. The Commission may close any portion of the proceedings to the victim, if the victim is to testify and the Commission determines that the victim's testimony would be materially affected if the victim hears other testimony at the proceeding. (c) After hearing the evidence, the full Commission shall vote to establish further case disposition as provided by this subsection. All 8 voting members of the Commission shall participate in that vote. If 5 or more of the 8 voting members of the Commission conclude by a preponderance of the evidence that there is sufficient evidence of torture to merit judicial review, the case shall be referred to the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County by filing with the clerk of court the opinion of the Commission with supporting findings of fact, as well as the record in support of such opinion, with service on the State's Attorney in non-capital cases and service on both the State's Attorney and Attorney General in capital cases. If less than 5 of the 8 voting members of the Commission conclude by a preponderance of the evidence that there is sufficient evidence of torture to merit judicial review, the Commission shall conclude there is insufficient evidence of torture to merit judicial review. The Commission shall document that opinion, along with supporting findings of fact, and file those documents and supporting materials with the court clerk in the circuit of original jurisdiction, with a copy to the State's Attorney and the chief judge. The Director of the Commission shall use all due diligence to notify immediately the victim of the Commission's conclusion in a case. (d) Evidence of criminal acts, professional misconduct, or other wrongdoing disclosed through formal inquiry or Commission proceedings shall be referred to the appropriate authority. Evidence favorable to the convicted person disclosed through formal inquiry or Commission proceedings shall be disclosed to the convicted person and the convicted person's counsel, if the convicted person has counsel. The Commission shall have the discretion to refer its findings together with the supporting record and evidence, to such other parties or entities as the Commission in its discretion shall deem appropriate. (e) All proceedings of the Commission shall be recorded and transcribed as part of the record. All Commission member votes shall be recorded in the record. All records of the Commission shall be confidential until the proceedings before the Commission are concluded and a final decision has been made by the Commission.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 96-223, eff. 8-10-09.)