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Wrongly Convicted Database Record
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Charge: |
Kidnapping (incld. Abduction) |
Sentence: |
12 years |
Years Imprisoned: |
6.5 |
Year Crime: |
1986 |
Year Convicted: |
1988 |
Year Cleared: |
2001 |
U.S. State or Country of Crime: |
Illinois |
County or Region of Crime: |
Cook |
City of Crime: |
Chicago |
Result: |
Pardoned |
Summary of Case: |
"Marcellius Bradford was a codefendant of Larry Ollins, Calvin Ollins and Omar Saunders, who were all convicted of rape. Bradford falsely confessed and testified against his codefendants to get a lighter sentence. His three co-defendants were convicted even though tests showed the men's blood type didn't match the perpetrator. He later recanted, saying police coerced him into falsely confessing and that he did so to avoid a life sentence. He said: "'I am ready to go back to court and admit I lied. I am willing to go the whole nine yards. I think about this every day--and I will skateboard into hell.'" (Chicago Tribune, May 2, 2001). In 2001 DNA tests unavailable at the time of the men's trial excluded them. The four men were pardoned by Illinois Governor George Ryan in October 2002. The four codefendants were represented post-conviction by the law firm of Kathleen Zellner. Bradford and his three codefendants were each awarded $120,000 in compensation by the State of Illinois in 2003. In December 2006 Marcellius Bradford settled his federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of Chicago for $900,000." |
Conviction Caused By: |
"Falsely confessed to get a lighter sentence, and falsely testifed against Larry Ollin." |
Innocence Proved By: |
In 2001 DNA tests unavailable at the time of the men's trial excluded all four co-defendants. The four men were pardoned by IL Gov George Ryan in October 2002. |
Defendant Aided By: |
Attorney Kathleen Zellner represented the four codefendants post-conviction. |
Compensation Awarded: |
"$1,020,000 total. $120,000 (State of Illinois, 2003) and $900,000 (City of Chicago, December 2006)" |
Was Perpetrator Identified? |
Yes |
Age When Imprisoned: |
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Age When Released: |
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Sex: |
Male |
Skin/Ethnicity: |
Black |
Information Source 1: |
"Four Wrongly Convicted Meet As Free Men, Ted Gregory (staff), Chicago Tribune July 24, 2002" |
Information Location 1: |
"http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0207240272jul24,1,4203410.story" |
Information Source 2: |
"$8 million deal is in pipeline - 2 more freed inmates ready to settle in 1986 murder case - Chicago Tribune, By Mickey Ciokajlo, April 11, 2007" |
Information Location 2: |
"http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0704100616apr11,1,3493822.story?coll=chi-news-hed" |
Information Source 3: |
"Chicago Pays $8 Million To End Roscetti Four Lawsuit, By Hans Sherrer, Justice Denied, Issue 36 (Spring 2007), p. 9" |
Information Location 3: |
http://justicedenied.org/issue/issue_36/chicago_jd36.pdf |
Information Source 4: |
"2 Charged in 'Roscetti Case, Chicago Sun-Times, Feb 8, 2002" |
Information Location 4: |
http://www.kathleentzellner.com/news35.html |
Information Source 5: |
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Information Location 5: |
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Comments About Case: |
Innocents Database Created and Maintained by Hans Sherrer innocents@forejustice.org