(False confessions 2): Chicago, Illinois: Patrick Prince: Found innocent after spending 26 years in prison. Global News reports..." Once he was brought to the police station, Prince confessed to the murder and was arrested. His confession was the only piece of evidence used against him."... Defence lawyers claim that when Prince was brought in for questioning, he was physically and verbally abused until he falsely confessed, reciting a story that was spoon-fed to him by a detective named Kriston Kato. In an article published by the organization (The Exoneration Project), they said that Kato had a longstanding “pattern and practice” when it came to getting confessions out of suspects. Since Prince’s trial, over 30 people have claimed that Det. Kato beat or coerced them in his efforts to obtain confessions. According to the Exoneration Project, Kato had been recently asked to testify at a hearing related to the case and was thoroughly impeached. When asked whether he would solve crimes “by any means necessary,” Kato stated plainly: “That was my job.”
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The Charles Smith Blog is interested in false confessions because of the disturbing number
of exonerations in the USA, Canada
and multiple other jurisdictions throughout the world, where, in the absence of
incriminating forensic evidence the conviction is based on self-incrimination –
and because of the growing body of
scientific research showing how vulnerable suspects (especially
juveniles) are to widely used interrogation methods such as the notorious ‘Reid Technique.’
QUOTE OF THE DAY: (Detective Kriston Kato, upon being asked whether he would solve crimes by "any means necessary.")
"That was my job."
--------------------------------
STORY: "Chicago man found innocent after spending 26 years in prison," by reporter Derek Heraldo, published by Global News on November 17, 2017.
GIST: "A 46-year-old Chicago man was released from prison on Tuesday after being acquitted of a murder charge from 1991. After
spending 26 years behind bars, Patrick Prince was embraced by friends
and family, including his daughter, outside of the Cook County prison. Prince was 19 years old when he was charged.........According to a court order,
a man named Edward Porter was shot and killed on a sidewalk on August
28, 1991. Police received an anonymous tip just a few weeks later which
pointed the finger at Prince. Once he was brought to the police
station, Prince confessed to the murder and was arrested. His confession
was the only piece of evidence used against him. The Exoneration Project, a group of lawyers focused on proving
innocent cases, took interest in Prince’s situation and took him on as a
client. They claim that when Prince was brought in for
questioning, he was physically and verbally abused until he falsely
confessed, reciting a story that was spoon-fed to him by a detective
named Kriston Kato. In an article published by the organization,
they said that Kato had a longstanding “pattern and practice” when it
came to getting confessions out of suspects. Since Prince’s trial, over
30 people have claimed that Det. Kato beat or coerced them in his
efforts to obtain confessions. According to the Exoneration Project,
Kato had been recently asked to testify at a hearing related to the
case and was thoroughly impeached. When asked whether he would solve
crimes “by any means necessary,” Kato stated plainly: “That was my job.” Lawyers
representing Prince also brought new evidence to the case: the
informant who had tipped off police about Prince’s involvement in the
shooting admitted he had lied. The presiding judge, Judge Thaddeus L. Wilson, wrote in his court order
that based on the new evidence and lack of physical or forensic
evidence, Prince should be granted a new trial. The Cook County State’s
Attorney’s office dismissed the charges instead/ Prince maintained
his innocence throughout his 26-year sentence."
The entire story can be found at: https://globalnews.ca/news/3459100/chicago-man-found-innocent-after-spending-26-years-in-prison/
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.
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Two Blogs Now: The Charles Smith Blog; The Selfless Warriors Blog: I created the Charles Smith Blog in 2007 after I retired from The Toronto Star to permit me to keep digging into the story of the flawed pathologist and the harm he had done to so many innocent parents and caregivers, and to Ontario’s criminal justice system. Since then it has taken new directions, including examinations of other flawed pathologists, flawed pathology, and flawed science and technology which has marred the quality of justice in courtrooms around the world. The heart of the Blog is my approach to following cases which raise issues in all of these areas - especially those involving the death penalty. I have dedicated 'The Selfless Warrior Blog’ (soon to appear) to those exceptional individuals who have been ripped out of their ordinary lives by their inability to stand by in the face of a glaring miscarriage of justice. They are my ’Selfless Warriors.’ Enjoy!
