Anthony Porter: Did A Guilty Man Lead To The Abolishment Of The Death Penalty In Illinois?

 As reported in our blog posts below, new evidence has surfaced implicating Anthony Porter, once again, for two murders that took place in Chicago in 1982. Earlier this year, Steve Mills from the Chicago Tribune wrote an article noting how Porter's release from prison had a major impact on then Governor George Ryan abolishing the death penalty in Illinois. The article quoted Ryan's deposition in from another case (Oscar Walden v. City of Chicago) where Ryan testified that he was watching Porter's release from prison on television with his wife "and I turned to my wife, and I said, how the hell does that happen? How does an innocent man sit on death row for 15 years and gets no relief? And that piqued my interest, Anthony Porter." Hmm. . .  wondering how things would have played out if Governor Ryan would have known all the facts, including the recent eyewitness testimony from Raymond Brown?

Audio From George Ryan Deposition Made Public In Oscar Walden Case

 

I asked him several times in the deposition why he pardoned Oscar Walden? What evidence of innocence did he review? He had no answer.  The Chicago Tribunes headline today highlights the problem: Ryan on tape: 'I pardoned guys I knew were guilty' 

 

Cook County Judge: OK To Subpoena John Burge As A Witness

According to the PR/Newswire:  

Cook County Judge Clayton Crane ruled Wednesday that attorneys for Cortez Brown may begin a process to subpoena former Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge to testify about the beating inflicted on Brown during a 1990 murder investigation. Brown falsely confessed to the crime after Burge's subordinates bludgeoned him with a flashlight and committed other abuses. He continues to languish in state prison due to the wrongful conviction.  Seeking to void that conviction, Locke Bowman, Legal Director of the Roderick MacArthur Justice Center, and Attorney for Cortez Brown sought leave to subpoena Burge and former Detective Tony Maslanka, who currently live out-of-state, as material witnesses. The certification that Burge and Maslanka are material witnesses in the Brown case permits the attorneys to seek a subpoena within the jurisdiction in which Burge and Maslanka live. In 1990, Brown was arrested for the murders of Devin Boelter and Curtis Sims. Brown alleges that Area 3 police detectives John O'Brien, John Paladino and Tony Maslanka - all of whom worked directly under Burge - verbally threatened him and beat him repeatedly with fists and a flashlight until he agreed to submit a bogus confession to the crimes.  At trials for both murders, Brown's coerced confessions were the principal evidence used to tie him to the alleged crimes. And in both cases, the larger pattern of atrocities that Burge inflicted on other black suspects was not revealed. Burge is currently under federal indictment for perjury and obstruction of justice based on his sworn denials that suspects were abused and tortured. Brown finished serving the 30 year sentence imposed on him for one of the murders, but seeks release from his natural life sentence for the second.

 

Aaron Patterson Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison

Former death row inmate Aaron Patterson was sentenced to 30 years in prison stemming from gun and drug charges. Back in 2003, Patterson received a gubernatorial pardon from then-Governor George Ryan. Patterson was sentenced by United States District Court judge Rebecca Pallmeyer. Patterson was represented by attorney Andrea Gambino. Patterson's civil rights suit is still pending in the Northern District of Illinois.