John Seasly, Author at Injustice Watch

Mississippi high court orders retrial for death row inmate convicted on debunked bite-mark evidence

Eddie Lee Howard has spent 26 years on death row based largely on now-discredited forensic evidence. Thursday, the Mississippi Supreme Court vacated his conviction and ordered a retrial.

by John Seasly August 28, 2020January 8, 2024

2020 Retention

Lawsuit ties judge to 2002 murder conviction involving alleged police coercion

Back when she was a prosecutor, Judge Megan Goldish allegedly accepted a false statement in a murder case against a Chicago teen who was later exonerated.

by John Seasly August 20, 2020December 5, 2023

Archive

Exoneree Walter Ogrod, in his own words

Walter Ogrod was freed from death row on June 5. In one of his first interviews as a free man, he spoke with Injustice Watch about his false confession, death row, and his plans for his new life.

by John Seasly July 9, 2020January 8, 2024

Archive

Illinois DCFS visitation ban may cause lasting harm

Parents and advocates say a policy that banned in-person visits for three months in response to the coronavirus exemplifies a racist child welfare system that harms Black families.

by John Seasly June 25, 2020December 5, 2023

Cook County Jail

Cook County commissioners consider protesters’ call to defund jail

After hundreds protested outside the jail Thursday morning, the Cook County Board of Commissioners advanced a non-binding resolution to shift funds from policing and incarceration to public services.

by John Seasly June 18, 2020December 5, 2023

Archive

Walter Ogrod walks off death row

In an emotional hearing Friday, a Philadelphia judge vacated Ogrod’s death sentence and convictions for the 1996 murder of 4-year-old Barbara Jean Horn. He walked free after 28 years behind bars.

by John Seasly June 5, 2020January 8, 2024

Police

Lawyers: Chicago cops blocked access to arrested protesters

After arresting hundreds of protesters over the weekend, Chicago police obstructed attorneys’ access to their clients in custody, lawyers and activists said.

by John Seasly June 3, 2020December 5, 2023

Court Administration

Cook County court partial shutdown extended to July 6

Chief Judge Timothy Evans’s order will leave open the possibility that normal court operations could resume earlier, once conditions are in place to do so safely.

by John Seasly May 27, 2020December 5, 2023

Criminal Courts

Court watchers fill holes in bond data during COVID jail outbreak

The pandemic has highlighted the lack of data about bond court. Several stakeholders are trying to fill in the gap.

by John Seasly May 20, 2020December 5, 2023

Prosecutors

State’s Attorney has contested vast majority of bond motions since COVID-19

Public Defender Amy Campanelli has tried to get more than 3,000 detainees released from the jail since the coronavirus outbreak began in March. State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office has contested more than 2,500 of them.

by John Seasly May 18, 2020January 8, 2024

Get our weekly newsletter