After 26 years, a taste of freedom

[flashl]

Source: Chicago Tribune


New trial ordered in 82 slaying of guard

A man serving a life sentence for the murder of a security guard walked out of Cook County Jail a free man for the first time in more than a quarter of a century after a judge on Friday ordered a new trial.

Shortly before 6 p.m., a visibly emotional Alton Logan, 54, clutched two relatives as he strode to his brother's black sport-utility vehicle. He wore brother Tony's green shirt and dark khakis.

...

"He's not been exonerated yet ..... but it will happen," said another brother, Eugene, who lives in Portland and last shook his brother's hand in 1980.

...

Two attorneys for a convicted cop killer had known for 26 years of Logan's innocence but had kept silent because of the attorney-client privilege. Their client, Andrew Wilson, had confessed to them that he shotgunned a security guard to death in January 1982, but he insisted they only reveal his admission after his death. Wilson, who was serving a life sentence for the murders of two Chicago police officers, died in prison of natural causes Nov. 19.

Chicago Tribune

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-alton-logan-new-trial-webapr19,0,4677554.story

[BOHICA06]

1. Holy Smokes, has "life is unfair" been any truer!!! n/t

[flashl]

2. For him and others ...

In Dec. 2007, Chicago paid a $20 million settlement to four African-American men who allegedly were tortured into confessions, and there are still 27 men behind bars as a result of tainted and corrupt investigations. A special prosecutor's report concluded police had tortured dozens of suspects over two decades.

Illinois prosecutors are anxious to being the death lottery again.

[laylah]

7. Illinois has one

of the MOST corrupt Department of Corrections and Cook County cops are just as bad. When the sleazy things those bastards do/have done to inmates, were brought to the attention of Blago and Director Walker, as well as Quinn's office, I was personally threatened, via a telephone call from one of Quinn's lackys, to shut up or things "...would get much worse..." for the man I was advocating for. True story and I have it all documented. I have never, in my life, seen such a slimey state government.

[zanne]

3. There should be real justice for people like him.

Two attorneys for a convicted cop killer had known for 26 years of Logan's innocence but had kept silent because of the attorney-client privilege. Their client, Andrew Wilson, had confessed

Since these attorneys were aware that an innocent man was spending his life in jail, they should be liable for something like "accessory" to a crime. If the prosecution can use that charge for people other than the accused, why can't the defense?

[NaturalHigh]

4. That's not the way it works.

These attorneys were absolutely obligated to protect their client's confession. Otherwise, prosecutors could threaten attorneys with accessory charges to make them tell all they know about their clients. That would undermine the entire criminal justice system, which is already slanted in favor of the prosecution.

This really sucks for the guy who was wrongfully convicted, but the attorneys are not to blame here.

[zanne]

5. I understand that, but there was a confession in this case.

What if the prisoner had been on death row and about to be executed?

[MH1]

6. That is why there should be NO death row.

This is a conundrum and it seems there SHOULD be a way out. But it does appear that the attorneys followed the rules of their profession.

What if they said "hell, being an attorney isn't worth it?" and turned over the confession - thus, I presume, being disbarred for breaking attorney-client privilege? Would that have repercussions for other cases? If it was more likely for an attorney to "fall on his sword" to protect the innocent, then wouldn't the confessions simply never happen?

[lakemonster11]

8. Their testimony could not be admitted

as evidence, anyway. Lawyers can't testify about what their clients tell them in confidence.

[shanti]

9. don't even have to read the story

to know that this man was black :grr: