Wrongful Conviction Lawsuit Defense Blog : Wrongful Conviction Defense Lawyer & Attorney : Andrew M. Hale Law Firm

ABC7News in Chicago is reporting that MIchael Tilman may be freed this week after 20 years in prison for the murder of Betty Howard in 1986.  Attorneys for Michael Tillman claim that Jon Burge tortured him. Flint Tyalor of the People's Law Office contends Burge "used a form of water boarding, putting water under his nose or 7Up...they put a gun to his head...they beat him,"  The hearing on TIllman's motion for new trial is set for thursday,  Stay tuned....

In July of 1986, someone attacked Betty Howard in her apartment building. Howard was preparing for her son's two year old birthday, but she didn't show up. Howard's son is believed to have been with her until she was found dead a day later.

At the time, police said Michael Tillman committed the crime. Tillman confessed, was convicted and is serving time.

One quick note:  It is quite amazing to see all these people in the last few years who now claim they were tortured by Jon Burge.  It seems like everyone is claiming Burge tortured them.  Don't be so quick to judge. Betty Howard's daughter still belives that Tillman killed her mother. This is not a case where DNA has been uncovered which exonerates Tilman.  What evidence exists to say TIlman did not commit the crime?  

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Magistrate Judge Geraldine Soat Brown has ruled that Mayor Richard Daley must answer questions in the civil rights lawsuit brought by Madison Hobley, who claims he was tortured by former Chicago Police Officer Jon Burge when Daley was the Cook County State's Attorney. Hobley is represented by attorney Kurt Feuer. Mayor Daley's attorneys are considering appealing Magistrate Brown's ruling.

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Attorneys for Madison Hobley, Stanley Howard and Leroy Orange claim in recently filed court papers that the City of Chicago is refusing to honor a collective $14.8 million settlement. The City of Chicago denies that such a settlement was reached and has stated that all settlement talks have been confidential. Hobley, Howard and Orange claim in their federal court lawsuits that they were tortured by former Chicago detective Jon Burge.  A Special Prosecutor report released last July, however, stated that Special Prosecutors did not believe Orange had been tortured and were skeptical of Hobley and Howard's claims.

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In the case of Aaron Patterson vs. Jon Burge, et al., the defendants moved for a protective order barring the parties from disseminating grand jury transcripts of Chicago Police Officers who appeared before the grand jury pursuant to the Office of the Special Prosecutor's investigation. The defendants did not object to the use of the grand jury transcripts for purposes of the present litigation, but contended that public disclosure of the grand jury proceedings conflicts with the principles of grand jury secrecy and would harm their reputation and allow Patterson to exploit several Officers' assertion of their Fifth Amendment privilege. Magistrate Geraldine Soat Brown granted the defendants' motion for protective order, stating, in part, that "public disclosure of grand jury testimony in this high profile case increases the probability that prospective witnesses will be discouraged from participating in future grand jury proceedings." Magistrate Brown concluded that "[i]n light of the well-established principles favoring secrecy for the protection of the institution of the grand jury, the court finds good cause for the entry of a protective order limiting the disclosure of the grand jury transcripts."

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