But in the eyes of one University of Illinois College of Law professor, Gov. George Ryan deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on reforming the death penalty.

In a formal announcement in Springfield on Monday, Francis Boyle, a professor of international law, will state his case for nominating the embattled governor for one of the world's most prestigious prizes.

"I can't think of anyone in America who has done more against the death penalty than Gov. Ryan," Boyle said Friday. "If you're looking around for an ideal candidate for the Nobel committee to send a strong message against the death penalty here in America, we believe Gov. Ryan is it."

The governor, who leaves office Jan. 13 after one bumpy term, issued a moratorium on all executions in Illinois three years ago after a number of convictions of death row inmates had been overturned.

He commissioned a study to investigate ways to fix the flawed system and is now contemplating whether to reduce the sentences of those now sentenced to die. He has reviewed the cases of all 160 people on Illinois' death row.

At the same time, however, Ryan has been hounded by the licenses-for-bribes probe being conducted by federal prosecutors.

In a court filing in mid-December, federal prosecutors alleged Ryan was in the room when decisions were made by his aides to destroy documents and cover up corruption from his eight years as secretary of state.

Boyle said he's been assured by his Norwegian contacts that the Nobel committee will overlook the governor's legal woes.

"This will be a blip on the screen," said Boyle. "Their attitude will be 'This is just politics in America.'"

"I've lived in the state of Illinois. This type of stuff goes on," Boyle added. "I don't know if the governor is guilty or whatever. Right now he is innocent. He is not indicted. Our Norwegian member tells us that it's not going to make any difference."

A spokesman for Ryan said the governor had just heard about the nomination a few days ago. "He said he was honored by it," said Ray Serati.

Illinois is among 38 states that permit capital punishment. All countries in western Europe have banned the death penalty, and Russia has done the same.

Boyle, a Harvard-educated attorney, has been an outspoken opponent of the death penalty and is a critic of U.S. foreign policy. In 1991, for example, he penned impeachment articles against then-President George Bush for alleged war crimes and constitutional violations stemming from the Persian Gulf War.

As part of his campaign in favor of Ryan's nomination for the Nobel prize, Boyle has set up a Web site, "stopcapitalpunishment.org."

The deadline for Nobel nominations is Feb. 1 with the winner usually announced in October. Past winners include former President Jimmy Carter, Mikhail Gorbachev, the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King Jr.