Wrongful Convictions, Imprisonment and Civil Rights Lawsuits
People’s Law Office continues to be a leader in fighting for justice for those wrongly charged and convicted of crimes. Lawyers from the office are currently representing several victims who served lengthy prison terms for crimes they did not commit:
Michael Tillman, who served almost 24 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit. The only evidence against him was a confession that was coerced from him by officers working under Jon Burge.
Ronald Kitchen, who served 21 years behind bars, 13 on death row, after Burge’s detectives tortured him for 39 hours and eventually coerced a statement in which he confessed to five murders (photo to left).
James Hill, who served over 17 years in prison in Indiana for rape after the police concealed evidence pointing to another suspect, and DNA testing excludes him as the rapist.
Randy Steidl, who was wrongly convicted and sentenced to death for a double murder after police hid evidence establishing his innocence (photo below).
Rev. Oscar Walden, who was wrongly convicted of rape in 1952 after a coerced confession, served 14 years in prison, and who has been fighting to clear his name ever since.
Bennie Starks, who continues to be prosecuted in Lake County for a rape for which he served over 20 years, even though DNA evidence establishes that he is innocent; and
Darrell Cannon, who served 19 years after he was tortured into a confession to a quadruple murder by Burge’s detectives who used electric shock, bagging, suffocation and other brutality at the hands of police (photo below).
These cases are a continuation of the work of People’s Law Office over the years where they have exposed wrongful convictions, obtained their clients’ release from prison and then brought lawsuits to obtain compensation for the precious freedom and years of life that have been taken by the wrongful acts of the police. These cases have included
Kenny Adams, one of the Ford Heights Four who were wrongly convicted of a double murder, where the civil rights case was settled for $36 million (photo below of Kenny on right, with two of his co-defendants, Verneal Jimerson on left and Dennis Williams, center). 
Larry Mayes, who was wrongfully convicted of rape and kidnapping in 1981 and served 19 years in prison, where the office obtained a $9 million verdict from a jury in Hammond, Indiana.
Jerry Miller, who served over 20 years in prison for a rape and kidnapping before DNA testing established his innocence, where the civil rights suit settled for $6.3 million (photo to left).
Aaron Patterson, where attorneys from People’s Law Office obtained a landmark decision in the Illinois Supreme Court that won Patterson a new hearing on his claims of torture.
Leroy Orange, who was wrongly convicted of four murders based on a coerced confession, where the case was settled for $6 million (photo to right)
Stephen Buckley, who was charged in the notorious Nicarico case, where the civil rights lawsuit on behalf of him and his criminal co-defendants was settled for $3.5 million.
Paul Terry, wrongly convicted of murder and rape where People’s Law Office was able to obtain a $2.7 million settlement.
Ronald Jones, who served 14 years in prison, 8 of them on death row, before he was absolved by DNA evidence and pardoned based on innocence. His civil lawsuit was settled for $2.2 million (photo below).
The Ryan Harris case, where People’s Law Office represented the seven-year-old boy who detectives claimed confessed to her murder, and obtained a $2 million settlement.
George Jones, where attorneys exposed the Chicago Police Department’s “street files” policy of concealing evidence helpful to criminal defendants, and obtained a jury verdict worth over $1.4 million.
Miguel Castillo, where People’s Law Office first represented Castillo in overturning his conviction and then obtained money damages for him in the amount of $1.2 million.
Over the years People’s Law Office has amassed an unparalleled data base concerning police torture, DNA science, coerced confessions, wrongful identifications and phony expert testimony used by police and prosecutors to wrongfully convict the innocent. Their attorneys are able to use these unique skills and knowledge to aggressively fight false convictions and wrongful imprisonment, and achieve justice for innocent people locked up for crimes they did not commit.
For More Information on People’s Law Office’s Work on this Issue:
Appellate Court Victory in Randy Steidl’s Wrongful Conviction Case Update on Steidl case from May 2012
New Trial Ordered in Police Abuse Lawsuit Against City of Chicago Chicago Tribune article about People’s Law Office obtaining a new trial for Oscar Walden in 2012.
Judge Slams City Attorney’s Misconduct Article in Courthouse News about obtaining new trial in Walden’s civil rights case.
We Must Insist on Accountability in Wrongful Convictions Cases Editorial by John Conroy in Huffington Post about Illinois State Police settling with Randy Steidl for $2.5 million in 2011.
Prosecutorial Misconduct and Wrongful Convictions Article by Flint Taylor in Police Misconduct and Civil Rights Law Report in 2011
City to Settle Suit With Wrongfully Convicted Man Chicago Tribune article about $6.2 million settlement for Jerry Miller in 2010
To find out more about People’s Law Office work around wrongful convictions, read History of People’s Law Office
Videos of People’s Law Office clients speaking about their wrongful convictions:
Jerry Miller on Colbert Report after being exonerated:
The Colbert Report
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Profiles on People’s Law Office clients on website of The Innocence Project:
Profiles of People’s Law Office clients on website of Witness to Innocence:
Profiles of People’s Law Office clients on website of University of Northwestern’s Center on Wrongful Convictions:
Additional info page about Paul Terry and co-defendant Michael Evans
