Injustice Watch (https://www.injusticewatch.org/author/abbyb/)
For many prisoners seeking to overturn their convictions, the right to DNA evidence testing exists in theory but not in practice. Iowa is among 13 U.S. states where no prisoner has ever successfully used DNA testing to win exoneration.
A new eyewitness, unearthed police dispatch tapes, and allegations of misconduct by notorious police commander Glenn Evans cast doubt on a Chicago man’s conviction for a 1997 murder.
The number of defendants seeking review of their claims that they were tortured into confessing now numbers more than 500. Absent more resources to review the cases, It could be decades before those claims are resolved.
Chicago police denied a request by Injustice Watch co-founder Rob Warden for photos of nine officers, but routinely makes public photographs of officers in positive situations. On Friday, ruling on Warden’s lawsuit, a Cook County judge rejected the city’s denial.
A report on the first 15 months since Cook County reformed its bail practices — up through last December — shows far more suspects are being released pretrial. Worries that violence would follow have not been proven true, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans noted.
Two federal lawsuits challenge Illinois and Wisconsin laws that block name changes following convictions for a decade or more. Lawyers for nine transgender women say the laws cause them to be outed, leading to harassment and abuse.
An Illinois House committee approved a bill late Tuesday that would ease the harsh penalties in the Illinois retail theft law. But amidst opposition from Illinois retailers, members of the House Judiciary – Criminal Committee agreed to consider amending the reform effort before moving it to the full House.
An Illinois appellate panel has overturned a 1990 murder conviction, finding that Chicago police detectives had coerced the confession of the defendant. The court found that Cook County judge Neera Walsh’s decision to disbelieve the abuse was “arbitrary” and “manifestly wrong.”
A south suburban Cook County firefighter was acquitted of committing arson on a bar he owned. The defense contended that the state had brought a false case, and contended the investigator had expressed racial comments in the past to the defendant.
Illinois appellate judges uphold an armed robbery conviction, overturn a gun conviction. In both cases, judges spar over the need to protect public safety against the need to protect against unlawful convictions and flawed evidence.