CHICAGO — Prosecutors now have more time to decide whether to appeal a judge's ruling that vacated the convictions of four men in a 17-year-old Chicago murder.
Cook County Circuit Judge Paul Biebel on Monday scheduled a new hearing for Jan. 17. The date gives the Cook County State's Attorney's office more time to decide whether to appeal his ruling, pursue a new trial or dismiss the charges.
Earlier this month, Biebel set aside the convictions after new DNA evidence linked another person to the crime.
The four — Michael Saunders, Harold Richardson, Terrill Swift and Vincent Thames — were teenagers when they were convicted in the murder of a woman in Chicago.
The judge also lifted travel restrictions on the men, which their attorneys had requested in exchange for the delay.
The story can be found at:http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/e3b16d53493b46f2b17116641bca5cdc/IL--Wrongful-Convictions/
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:
http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith
Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:
http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog; hlevy15@gmail.com;
