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Chicago Prosecutor's Office Leaks Old, Unsubstantiated, Discredited Internal Memo To Smear Innocence Project Founder

from the chicago-politics? dept

Fri, Jan 8th 2010 12:52pm — Mike Masnick

Last year, we wrote about the rather troubling situation in Chicago, involving prosecutors who were given information from the famed Medill Innocence Project (which consist of journalism students who examine potential wrongful conviction cases) indicating a wrongful conviction. Rather than use the new evidence, the prosecutors began a campaign against the Innocence Project subpoenaing a ton of information that has no bearing on the case whatsoever, but seem designed to intimidate the journalism students. On top of this, the prosecutors have leaked claims that the students paid witnesses, which appears to be a misreading of a situation where cab fare was paid for by the students, and there was a bit of money left over.

But at every turn it looks like the prosecutor's office is out to smear, rather than to investigate. The latest, coming via Romenesko, is that the prosecutor's office released a decades old internal memo that smears the founder of the Innocence Project with claims that are either totally unsubstantiated or entirely discredited. The memo was given to at least two news organizations and has absolutely nothing to do with the case at hand. A spokesperson for the prosectors' office claimed that the document was distributed, "in the interest of trying to get the whole picture out there," which is really quite stunning. Again, the document has nothing to do with the case at hand and is either unsubstantiated or totally discredited. It's hard to see that as anything other than the Cook County State's Attorney's Office trying to smear the guy in charge of the Innocence Project. It certainly doesn't seem like an operation seeking truth.

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Filed Under: innocence project, journalism, medill, students, witnesses

20 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 8 Jan 2010 @ 1:12pm

someones got something to hide and im thinkin it involves money. in times like this you need to follow the rich white man!
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- :Lobo Santo (profile), 8 Jan 2010 @ 1:23pm
  
  Re:
  When does it not involve money?
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  - Jaqenn, 8 Jan 2010 @ 1:30pm
    
    Re: Re:
    It (sometimes) does not involve money when it involves lazy or stupid.
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    - :Lobo Santo (profile), 8 Jan 2010 @ 1:36pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Yeah... but when do lazy/stupid people ever work smear campaigns?
      ; P
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      - Chargone (profile), 8 Jan 2010 @ 5:11pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        naturally, when there's money to be made/lost.
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  - ChimpBush McHitlerBurton, 8 Jan 2010 @ 5:41pm
    
    Re: Re:
    "When does it not involve money?"
    
    When it involves sex (that would otherwise cost money) or when it involves power (which puts you in a position to make money)
    
    CBMHB
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- Anonymous Coward, 8 Jan 2010 @ 11:51pm
  
  Re:
  Racist jackass.
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jjmsan (profile), 8 Jan 2010 @ 1:19pm

States Attorney's Offices
States Attorney's don't like to be proven wrong. If she is convinced the presented evidence is wrong why not send some of her people to verify it?
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- vilain (profile), 8 Jan 2010 @ 4:32pm
  
  Re: IStates Attorney's Offices
  I'd love to have everyone on the IL AG's entire staff past and present submit to a rigorous financial audit crawling so far up their GI tracts that you can see daylight. It's only fair. If they're going to "get the whole picture out there", it should go both ways. A little corruption, graft, and duplicity is good for the soul.
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Jan 2010 @ 1:49pm

A Matter of Honor
Since Illinois doesn't have a statutory dueling prohibition it's a matter of honor. Challenge the prosecutor to a duel if they don't retract their foul lies.
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- John Duncan Yoyo (profile), 8 Jan 2010 @ 2:35pm
  
  Re: A Matter of Honor
  My choice of weapon in this sort of duel is Hummers at 500 yards.
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Alan Gerow (profile), 8 Jan 2010 @ 2:13pm

If you can't beat 'em, get building. Straw men don't make themselves!
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John R. Carlisle, 8 Jan 2010 @ 2:26pm

John R. Carlisle
That is really sad. Such a good history of helping people and righting wrongs of the past. John R. Carlisle
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ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 8 Jan 2010 @ 2:34pm

Jeebus
Well obviously they're trying to uphold the good name of Chicago...*snort*

Sorry, where was I?
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- Dark Helmet (profile), 8 Jan 2010 @ 2:52pm
  
  Re: Jeebus
  "Sorry, where was I?"
  
  No, no, you were spot on...when you snorted....which is what most of those involved in law enforcement and government here do.....bWawwwahhh, preTTy WhiTe Liinnneesss!
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Jan 2010 @ 3:08pm

When conviction rates and ones record are more important than the truth . . . .
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Anonymous Coward, 8 Jan 2010 @ 5:41pm

Justice - hahaha
It's not about incarcerating the correct person, it is about looking good for the least amount of money. I doubt they lose much sleep knowing the plea bargins are BS and the innocent go to jail.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 Jan 2010 @ 7:18am

This is Illinois, the same state that had a crook get into the senate. I wouldn't be surprised if the State Attorney General was doing this as a favor for for-profit jails.
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- Anonymous Coward, 9 Jan 2010 @ 8:15am
  
  Re:
  "This is Illinois, the state that had a crook get into the senate"
  
  just like the other 49 ...
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BentFranklin (profile), 11 Jan 2010 @ 2:39pm

What I will never understand is why law enforcement isn't interested in projects such as this, at the very least because if the person in jail is innocent, then THE GUILTY PARTY IS AT LARGE. This happens even in cop-killer cases like the one in Iowa. It's the main thing that makes me doubt the motivations of these prosecutors.

Prosecutorial misconduct in a capital case should be a capital crime.
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