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Nathson Fields; Chicago; When the past comes back to haunt: In ongoing civil trial, police and prosecutors are defending themselves against allegations that they made a secret deal with a former high-ranking gang member and killer for early release in exchange for his testimony against Fields - the plaintiff; (there may be several white elephants in this case - including the nefarious conduct of a judge. As CBS reports: "Fields, also a former high-ranking El Rukn, spent 18 years behind bars, 12 of them on death row, before he was cleared in 2009 for the 1984 murders of Talman Hickman and Jerome “Fuddy” Smith. He was originally convicted alongside Hawkins in 1986. Later, it was revealed that the presiding judge, Thomas Maloney, had taken a $10,000 bribe from Hawkins’ attorney. The judge began to suspect the feds were watching and gave it back.".....
STORY: "Ex-El Rukn killer denies testimony that aided city led to freedom," published by CBS News on November 20, 2016.
GIST: "A former El Rukn general and
killer suspected of hatching a secret deal for early release testified
Monday that “there wasn’t nothing in it” for him when he helped the city of Chicago defend a lawsuit brought by a man he was once convicted beside.
Authorities once vowed that Earl Hawkins wouldn’t get out of prison
until his 70s. But months after Hawkins testified against Nathson Fields
in April 2014 — telling jurors he had struck no deal with authorities
for a break on his prison sentence — Hawkins was a free man. That was enough for U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly to order a
new trial last year in Fields’ lawsuit against police and prosecutors
who put him behind bars. That trial is now underway at the Dirksen
Federal Courthouse, where a combative Hawkins took the stand Monday. Fields, also a former high-ranking El Rukn, spent 18 years behind
bars, 12 of them on death row, before he was cleared in 2009 for the
1984 murders of Talman Hickman and Jerome “Fuddy” Smith. He was
originally convicted alongside Hawkins in 1986. Later, it was revealed
that the presiding judge, Thomas Maloney, had taken a $10,000 bribe from
Hawkins’ attorney. The judge began to suspect the feds were watching and gave it back. Hawkins left prison late in 2014 after the U.S. Parole Commiss
received letters supportive of Hawkins’ parole from Chicago Police
detectives David O’Callaghan and Daniel Brannigan, as well as Cook
County Assistant State’s Attorney Brian Sexton, records show. But
Hawkins told lawyer Jonathan Loevy “that ain’t the reason I got free.”.........He told Loevy he gave the false testimony because “people was
badgering me like you are now,” and he wanted to move the proceedings
along."The entire story can be found at: PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the
Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. 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 Please
send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest
to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com. Harold Levy;
Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog.
