Chester Weger: Illinois: The Starved Rock Murder Case: The 1960 murder investigation comes under close scrutiny - while the existence of new evidence is probed - as a judge hears closing arguments in a hearing that could lead lead to a new trial, Starved Rock Media reports noting that: "The 86-year-old Weger was once again not in attendance. Attorney Andy Hale was asked by the judge if Weger was still ill, to which he answered “He's under the weather, yes”. Hale used a slide show with a projector to lay out his case to exonerate Weger. He dove into the 1960 investigation, saying the three victims were prominent women and Frances Murphy was especially targeted with the tip of her left index finger removed after her death along with suffering vaginal injuries. Hale called the murders planned and staged with a ‘lot of people in on it.’"

BACKGROUND: From a previous post of the Blog: "Chester Wager: Illinois: The Starved Rock murders: Starve Rock Media reports that testimony has wrapped up in a mini-trial evidentiary hearing described as featuring "three days of highly scientific testimony to go along with plenty of hearsay," in which, "The 86-year-old is trying to get his murder conviction overturned, with his defense offering what they say is new evidence that if presented to a jury now, would lead to a not guilty verdict."…"Colby Lasyone, chief of staff at Othram, Inc. says his Texas-based lab looked for a DNA profile on a hair found on the glove of Starved Rock murder victim Frances Murphy. His lab’s conclusion was that the hair was most likely linked to brothers Leo, Charles, and Edward Bray of Utica. To further their conclusion, the lab suggested exhuming the bodies of the brothers. That never happened."

https://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2025/05/chester-wager-illinois-starved-rock.html

------------------------------------------------------

PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "Hale said as the investigation got cold, investigators claimed Weger failed a 7th polygraph test after passing 6 prior ones. He says it led to Weger’s arrest with no probable cause. After more threats, Weger says he confessed because he thought he was trying to save his life. Hale calls the confession the most ridiculous confession you can imagine, contradicting physical evidence and a timeline that was buried in the evidence. He says it’s a loud and clear ‘DNA exoneration’ with a hair on Murphy’s index finger traced to a man other than Weger. He says the defense met its burden just with this, saying Weger was framed."

—————————————————————-

PASSAGE TWO OF THE DAY: "After about 4 hours, Judge Jansz set Wednesday, July 2nd as the date for his ruling. He says there’s a lot for him to think about but it’s his desire to ‘get this done as quickly as I can.’ Jansz indicated he won’t be determining guilt or innocence of Weger. Instead it’s a ruling to determine if new evidence probably would mean a different result in a new trial. If the answer is yes to that, than a new trial should be granted."

------------------------------------------------------------------

STORY: "Sides Make Their Closing Arguments In Chester Weger Evidentiary Hearing," published by Starved Rock Media, on May 28, 2025. (No attribution);

GIST: "A capacity crowd filled Judge Michael Jansz’s courtroom to hear closing arguments Wednesday in the evidentiary hearing that could lead to vacating the murder conviction of Chester Weger.

The 86-year-old Weger was once again not in attendance. Attorney Andy Hale was asked by the judge if Weger was still ill, to which he answered “He's under the weather, yes”. Hale used a slide show with a projector to lay out his case to exonerate Weger. He dove into the 1960 investigation, saying the three victims were prominent women and Frances Murphy was especially targeted with the tip of her left index finger removed after her death along with suffering vaginal injuries. Hale called the murders planned and staged with a ‘lot of people in on it.’

Hale said as the investigation got cold, investigators claimed Weger failed a 7th polygraph test after passing 6 prior ones. He says it led to Weger’s arrest with no probable cause. After more threats, Weger says he confessed because he thought he was trying to save his life. Hale calls the confession the most ridiculous confession you can imagine, contradicting physical evidence and a timeline that was buried in the evidence. He says it’s a loud and clear ‘DNA exoneration’ with a hair on Murphy’s index finger traced to a man other than Weger. He says the defense met its burden just with this, saying Weger was framed.

Special prosecutor Mark Shlifka Jr. says the courtroom is a place for facts, not fiction. He says Weger’s case borders on absurdity, saying court isn’t a podcast or a Facebook page where everyone agrees with each other. Shlifka Jr. says every good conspiracy theory needs hearsay and Weger’s side is full of testimony that is unreliable. He says the mafia did it is a ‘lazy theory’. Shlifka Jr. says facts don’t support a mafia hit and Weger’s team is chasing ghosts.

When it comes to hair that didn’t come back as Weger’s, the prosecutor said its chain of custody was broken, making it unreliable. He questions many of Weger’s witnesses as well hanging onto supposed confessions that Weger was innocent for 40 or more years. Shlifka Jr. says the defense’s speculation is insulting to the judicial process.

The prosecutor goes on to point out that Weger’s jacket had human blood splatter on it and that numerous witnesses including Weger testified he had scratches on him the day of murders. Shlifka Jr. closes saying Weger’s team has no case and that their theory may entertain, but it doesn’t exonerate.

After about 4 hours, Judge Jansz set Wednesday, July 2nd as the date for his ruling. He says there’s a lot for him to think about but it’s his desire to ‘get this done as quickly as I can.’

Jansz indicated he won’t be determining guilt or innocence of Weger. Instead it’s a ruling to determine if new evidence probably would mean a different result in a new trial. If the answer is yes to that, than a new trial should be granted."

The entire story can be read at:

https://www.starvedrock.media/wlpo/sides-make-their-closing-arguments-in-chester-weger-evidentiary-hearing/article_819f370f-e0dd-4907-908f-30c727d8d8ce.html

PUBLISHER'S NOTE:  I am monitoring this case/issue/resource. 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.

SEE BREAKDOWN OF  SOME OF THE ON-GOING INTERNATIONAL CASES (OUTSIDE OF THE CONTINENTAL USA) THAT I AM FOLLOWING ON THIS BLOG,  AT THE LINK BELOW:  HL:

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/120008354894645705/4704913685758792985

———————————————————————————————

FINAL WORD:  (Applicable to all of our wrongful conviction cases):  "Whenever there is a wrongful conviction, it exposes errors in our criminal legal system, and we hope that this case — and lessons from it — can prevent future injustices."

Lawyer Radha Natarajan:

Executive Director: New England Innocence Project;

—————————————————————————————————

FINAL, FINAL WORD: "Since its inception, the Innocence Project has pushed the criminal legal system to confront and correct the laws and policies that cause and contribute to wrongful convictions.   They never shied away from the hard cases — the ones involving eyewitness identifications, confessions, and bite marks. Instead, in the course of presenting scientific evidence of innocence, they've exposed the unreliability of evidence that was, for centuries, deemed untouchable." So true!

Christina Swarns: Executive Director: The Innocence Project;

——————————————————————————————