Legal Commentary

Northwestern Frees Another Innocent Inmate

By TChris

You know you're doing good work when prosecutors give up without a fight. Northwestern Law Professor Steven Drizin and the Northwestern Center on Wrongful Convictions can always be counted on to do good work. This time, their good work freed Thaddeus Jimenez from prison, 16 years into a 50 year sentence -- a sentence Jimenez started serving at the age of 13.

Juan Carlos Torres was mentioned as a possible suspect in the 1993 murder of Eric Morro. Witnesses identified Jimenez as the shooter, but a witness who was with Morro told the police that it wasn't Jimenez. The police evidently didn't like his story, and after a "lengthy interrogation" the witness changed his mind and identified Jimenez.

The case came to the attention of the Northwestern University Center on Wrongful Convictions in 2005. The center conducted an investigation and, in September 2007, sent its findings to the state's attorney's office. The office launched its own review and, along with Jimenez's attorneys, asked a judge on Friday to vacate Jimenez's sentence. The judge agreed.

Wow. Whether the Cook County prosecutors did the right thing because it was the right thing to do, or just didn't have the energy to battle Drizin and the dedicated students and staff at Northwestern, the outcome is outstanding. Meanwhile, Torres awaits extadition to stand trial for Morro's murder.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on May 05, 2009 (boomark / email).