SPRINGFIELD—As George Ryan waits for a jury to be selected in his federal corruption trial, another type of panel is mulling over his past deeds.

For the third time, the Norwegian Nobel Committee is reviewing Ryan’s efforts to abolish the death penalty in order to decide whether he should win the group’s prestigious international peace prize.

The winner of the Nobel, who receives worldwide notoriety and a check for $1.3 million, will be named Oct. 7.

“I’m confident he’s going to win this time,” said University of Illinois law professor Francis Boyle, a death penalty opponent who first nominated Ryan to the Nobel committee in 2003 after the governor imposed a moratorium on the death penalty because a number of convictions of death row inmates had been overturned.

Soon after being nominated, Ryan cleared out Illinois’ death row of 167 convicted murderers and rapists, winning accolades from death penalty opponents throughout the world.

At the same time, however, his lengthy tenure in office was being investigated by federal prosecutors, who accuse him of racketeering, conspiracy, mail fraud, lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and tax fraud.

Boyle said Ryan’s legal troubles shouldn’t diminish his role in leading the movement to abolish capital punishment.

“It’s a totally separate thing in my mind,” said Boyle.

If Ryan doesn’t win, Boyle said he would likely renominate the 71-year-old former chief executive from Kankakee.

“I see no grounds to change course,” said Boyle. “Indeed, Gov. Ryan has really reopened the debate on the death penalty here in America.”

The 2004 Nobel Peace Prize went to Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai.

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