SPRINGFIELD, Illinois - A law professor said that he plans to nominate Illinois Gov. George Ryan for the Nobel Peace Prize because of his "heroic, courageous and principled opposition" to the state's capital punishment system.

University of Illinois law professor Francis Boyle said Monday that he and other activists around the globe will lobby for Ryan because the governor has done more than anyone else in recent years to build opposition to the death penalty.

In January 2000, Ryan halted the state's executions after courts found that 13 death row inmates had been wrongly convicted since the state resumed capital punishment in 1977.

The governor also is considering commuting the death sentences of some or all of 160 death row inmates to life in prison before his term expires next week.

A spokesman for Ryan did not return a message seeking comment Monday.

Nobel nominations must be submitted by certain qualified people, such as state government officials, past winners or college professors.

Nominations for the award are due Feb. 1, and winners are announced by Nov. 15. The five-member award committee based in Norway usually picks one or two individuals or groups each year who promote peace and benefit mankind.

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