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Wrongly Convicted Database Record
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Charge: |
"Murder, Robbery and Sexual Assault" |
Sentence: |
Life Imprisonment |
Years Imprisoned: |
14 |
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: |
"Larry Ollins was codefendant of Calvin Ollins, Omar Saunders and Marcellius Bradford. The four defendants were wrongly convicted of the October 18, 1986 rape and murder of Lorri Roscetti in Chicago, Illinois. 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. Larry Ollins and his three codefendants were each awarded $120,000 in compensation by the State of Illinois in 2003. Larry Ollins agreed to a $4 million settlement of his federal civil rights lawsuit against the Ciity of Chicago in April 2007. " |
Conviction Caused By: |
"False confession by by co-defendant Marcellius Bradford who testified against Larry Ollins, and expert misconduct" |
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: |
"$4,120,000 total. $120,000 (State of Illinois, 2003) and $4 million (City of Chicago, April 2007)" |
Was Perpetrator Identified? |
Yes |
Age When Imprisoned: |
17 |
Age When Released: |
31 |
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