PASSAGE ONE OF THE DAY: "Fellow Weger attorney Celeste Stack advised Judge Michael C. Jansz the lab findings are solid, though not yet final. “We’re just waiting to see what the final results are,” Stack said, “although I’ve never heard of a case where they’ve changed their minds.” Special prosecutor Colleen Griffin said she’d like to see an official report before going further. Jansz scheduled an Oct. 28 follow-up hearing, at which time he might approve the submission of the hair DNA to be crosschecked against the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) to see if they can identify the source of the hair."
PASSAGE TWO OF THE DAY: "Weger did not speak during the 10-minute hearing. Outside the Ottawa courtroom, he expressed delight with the lab findings. “It’s wonderful,” Weger said from his wheelchair, his mask removed by family members. “It’s really wonderful.” Weger, 83, who was paroled in 2019 after serving six decades in prison, remains convicted of murder — for now. Hale and Stack said they planned to meet with the special prosecutor, based out of the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office, and make their case for vacating Weger’s conviction. “We’re not done yet,” Hale said. “We’ll be done when the conviction is vacated."
STORY: "Chester Weger hearing: The lab found DNA in the Starved Rock Murders. It’s not his," by Reporter Tom Collins, published by Shaw Local News, on August 1, 2022. (Tom Collins holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Rutgers University and a master's in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He began reporting in La Salle in May 1996 and has been with Shaw Media since September 2019.)
SUB-HEADING: "Hearing set in October on next steps."
PHOTO CAPTION: "Chester Weger spoke briefly Monday, Aug. 1, 2022, at the courthouse in Ottawa after it was revealed during the hearing that DNA from a glove on one of the victims did not match Weger's."
GIST: "Evidence from the Starved Rock murders went to the lab and one of them — a glove worn by victim Frances Murphy — bore a hair. It was a man’s hair and the lab retrieved DNA.
It wasn’t Chester Weger’s.
Monday, Weger attorney Andy Hale disclosed in La Salle County Circuit Court the DNA corroborates their belief Weger is blameless in the three murders — “In our opinion this evidence exonerates him” — though they still would like to identify the man whose hair was found on Murphy’s glove.
“We still want closure for the families — for everybody,” Hale said.
Fellow Weger attorney Celeste Stack advised Judge Michael C. Jansz the lab findings are solid, though not yet final.
“We’re just waiting to see what the final results are,” Stack said, “although I’ve never heard of a case where they’ve changed their minds.”
Special prosecutor Colleen Griffin said she’d like to see an official report before going further.
Jansz scheduled an Oct. 28 follow-up hearing, at which time he might approve the submission of the hair DNA to be crosschecked against the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) to see if they can identify the source of the hair.
Weger did not speak during the 10-minute hearing. Outside the Ottawa courtroom, he expressed delight with the lab findings.
“It’s wonderful,” Weger said from his wheelchair, his mask removed by family members. “It’s really wonderful.”
Weger, 83, who was paroled in 2019 after serving six decades in prison, remains convicted of murder — for now. Hale and Stack said they planned to meet with the special prosecutor, based out of the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office, and make their case for vacating Weger’s conviction.
“We’re not done yet,” Hale said. “We’ll be done when the conviction is vacated.""
Te entire story can be read 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;
