The death penalty is under attack around the country following the release of four death row inmates by outgoing Illinois Governor George Ryan. Yet death penalty protesters were told today to expect little change in Indiana.

A bill that would abolish the death penalty in Indiana has been filed, but don't look for it to become law. That was the message to protesters this afternoon.

About 30 protesters spent an hour outside the statehouse in what is meant to become a monthly demonstration. Indiana has executed nine men since the death penalty was reinstated in 1977. Currently, 32 men and one woman are currently on Death Row. The protesters were told that they are all likely to stay there.

Some lawmakers pointed to practical matters. "I know what I can do when I can do it. And I can tell you that Indiana's not ready to abolish capital punishment in spite of the drama that was created by Governor Ryan. You have to understand the dynamics of this place that if we were to introduce something like that it would be very difficult at this time," said Sen. Anita Bowser (D-Michigan City).

Lobby groups like Amnesty International criticized the philosophy behind state-sanctioned executions and pointed out alternatives. "We'd like them to stop executions and divert the money and energy saved into more beneficial areas like violent crime prevention methods, helping victim's family members. The death penalty says more about us as a people and the values we hold than it does about the convicted murderer on Death Row. Executions carry an official message: killing is an appropriate response to killing. By abolishing executions, our legislature will announce Hoosiers will no longer allow those who kill to set the moral tone," said Karen Burkhart, Amnesty International.

"I found out from watching the movie "Roots" that you need to have a Plan A and a Plan B...Our Plan A to maybe abolish this policy, this practice, might be subjugated to Plan B which would be to call a moratorium," said Rep. Vernon Smith (D-Gary). Smith said the move was not a response to what happened in Illinois. "This issue has been before the legislature for over six years. Representative Brown carried the legislation before and I've carried it before." Smith would like to hold field hearings around the state in support of a moratorium on the death penalty.

One of the major obstacles faced by death penalty opponents, however, is the fact that Governor Frank O'Bannon was the author of Indiana's death penalty stature back when he was in the state senate.

A moratorium is not likely unless it can be shown as it was in Illinois that someone on death row was wrongly convicted.