wheezer
02-15-2008, 12:37 AM
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Protestors at the rally to gain new trials for victims of police torture look symbolically to the State of Illinois Center and the office of Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
A rally seeking freedom for the wrongfully convicted victims of police torture saw several former prisoners, now exonerated, call for action.
Activists rally for release of wrongfully accused prisoners
by Teresa Sewell
Feb 14, 2008
DEATH_Rally
Teresa Sewell/Medill
Key dates for the death penalty in Illinois
1972: The U.S. Supreme Court voids all state death penalty laws.
1973: Illinois approves a new law, saying problems are corrected.
1975: Illinois Supreme Court voids the new law as unconstitutional.
1977: A revised state death penalty law goes into effect.
1977-2000: Twelve Illinois prisoners are put to death, while 13 death row inmates are exonerated.
2000: Gov. George Ryan declares a moratorium on executions. He calls for the Commission on Capital Punishment to study flaws in state law*
2002: The commission report calls for changes in the state criminal justice system.
2003: Ryan commutes 156 death sentences, cleaning out Illinois' death row.
*The death penalty moratorium continues, though Gov. Rod Blagojevich received more pressure this week to resume executions.
When Lisa Madigan said she would never stand in the way of justice during her 2002 campaign for Illinois attorney general, Virginia Clements had “a moment of hope” that her son was coming home.
But this Valentine’s Day, Clements stood in front of the State of Illinois Center reading a letter from her son, Mark, because he couldn’t be there.
Mark Clements has been incarcerated since his 27-year-old daughter was born. In his letter, he described how he is one of the many imprisoned men who deserve new trials because of police torture under former Commander Jon Burge.
Protestors rallied with the Campaign to End the Death Penalty organization Thursday to demand that Madigan carry out new trials for the tortured and those who say they are wrongfully imprisoned.
“Why should innocent men sit behind bars … prison walls at taxpayers’ expense?” Mark Clements asked in his letter. “Madigan has failed to even acknowledge nor tried to contact us … treating us as if we don’t exist.”
Asking that Madigan “have a heart,” activists and family members of inmates gathered 31 red heart-shaped balloons -- each naming a prisoner they claim is an incarcerated torture victim.
Members of the group delivered the bouquet upstairs to Madigan’s office, but found that she was not there.
Madigan's office later released a statement: "We met with representatives of the group today. We appreciate hearing their concerns. We review each individual case carefully and separately and proceed based on the facts of each of these cases."
Harold Hill was at the rally despite staying isolated in his home for months. He said it was necessary for him to speak Thursday about his experience as an exonerated police torture victim.
“I did 15 years for a crime I didn’t commit,” Hill said. He said he was coerced to confess to a rape charge. He was freed two years ago when DNA evidence proved his innocence.
Hill, 34, said the feeling of losing his youth can never be put into words.
“If I had a word to describe it,” he said, “I would have to make one up and put it in the dictionary.”
Michelle Martin wants her fiancé to finally come home so they can “go ahead and get married.”
Her significant other, Stanley Howard, was pardoned from death row by former Gov. George Ryan in 2003 and was part of a wrongful conviction settlement. But he remains in prison for a separate charge Martin says he also did not commit.
She drives four hours to Downstate Sterling every other weekend to see Howard, who she said has suffered from post-traumatic stress over the years. Even though it’s another Valentine’s Day the couple can’t spend together, after more than 20 years, they still haven’t given up.
“We pray together,” she said. “And I know sooner or later the truth is going to come out and they are going to let him come home.”
Virginia Clements hasn’t give up hope either, but she’s disheartened that Madigan has not taken action. She remembers the day Madigan made the comment for justice because it was her birthday.
She’s waiting for Madigan to give all of the torture victims their new day in court.
“She made a promise … she didn’t back it up,” Clements said. “She hasn’t made one point to do anything to help whatsoever.”
http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=78439
Protestors at the rally to gain new trials for victims of police torture look symbolically to the State of Illinois Center and the office of Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
A rally seeking freedom for the wrongfully convicted victims of police torture saw several former prisoners, now exonerated, call for action.
Activists rally for release of wrongfully accused prisoners
by Teresa Sewell
Feb 14, 2008
DEATH_Rally
Teresa Sewell/Medill
Key dates for the death penalty in Illinois
1972: The U.S. Supreme Court voids all state death penalty laws.
1973: Illinois approves a new law, saying problems are corrected.
1975: Illinois Supreme Court voids the new law as unconstitutional.
1977: A revised state death penalty law goes into effect.
1977-2000: Twelve Illinois prisoners are put to death, while 13 death row inmates are exonerated.
2000: Gov. George Ryan declares a moratorium on executions. He calls for the Commission on Capital Punishment to study flaws in state law*
2002: The commission report calls for changes in the state criminal justice system.
2003: Ryan commutes 156 death sentences, cleaning out Illinois' death row.
*The death penalty moratorium continues, though Gov. Rod Blagojevich received more pressure this week to resume executions.
When Lisa Madigan said she would never stand in the way of justice during her 2002 campaign for Illinois attorney general, Virginia Clements had “a moment of hope” that her son was coming home.
But this Valentine’s Day, Clements stood in front of the State of Illinois Center reading a letter from her son, Mark, because he couldn’t be there.
Mark Clements has been incarcerated since his 27-year-old daughter was born. In his letter, he described how he is one of the many imprisoned men who deserve new trials because of police torture under former Commander Jon Burge.
Protestors rallied with the Campaign to End the Death Penalty organization Thursday to demand that Madigan carry out new trials for the tortured and those who say they are wrongfully imprisoned.
“Why should innocent men sit behind bars … prison walls at taxpayers’ expense?” Mark Clements asked in his letter. “Madigan has failed to even acknowledge nor tried to contact us … treating us as if we don’t exist.”
Asking that Madigan “have a heart,” activists and family members of inmates gathered 31 red heart-shaped balloons -- each naming a prisoner they claim is an incarcerated torture victim.
Members of the group delivered the bouquet upstairs to Madigan’s office, but found that she was not there.
Madigan's office later released a statement: "We met with representatives of the group today. We appreciate hearing their concerns. We review each individual case carefully and separately and proceed based on the facts of each of these cases."
Harold Hill was at the rally despite staying isolated in his home for months. He said it was necessary for him to speak Thursday about his experience as an exonerated police torture victim.
“I did 15 years for a crime I didn’t commit,” Hill said. He said he was coerced to confess to a rape charge. He was freed two years ago when DNA evidence proved his innocence.
Hill, 34, said the feeling of losing his youth can never be put into words.
“If I had a word to describe it,” he said, “I would have to make one up and put it in the dictionary.”
Michelle Martin wants her fiancé to finally come home so they can “go ahead and get married.”
Her significant other, Stanley Howard, was pardoned from death row by former Gov. George Ryan in 2003 and was part of a wrongful conviction settlement. But he remains in prison for a separate charge Martin says he also did not commit.
She drives four hours to Downstate Sterling every other weekend to see Howard, who she said has suffered from post-traumatic stress over the years. Even though it’s another Valentine’s Day the couple can’t spend together, after more than 20 years, they still haven’t given up.
“We pray together,” she said. “And I know sooner or later the truth is going to come out and they are going to let him come home.”
Virginia Clements hasn’t give up hope either, but she’s disheartened that Madigan has not taken action. She remembers the day Madigan made the comment for justice because it was her birthday.
She’s waiting for Madigan to give all of the torture victims their new day in court.
“She made a promise … she didn’t back it up,” Clements said. “She hasn’t made one point to do anything to help whatsoever.”
http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=78439