Burris Sought Death Penalty for an Innocent Man

[Undercurrent]

Confession by another man, and and DNA showed Rolando Cruz innocent. but Burris pushed for the death penalty.



"Former Illinois attorney general Roland Burris, embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s pick to replace Barack Obama in the Senate, is no stranger to controversy.

Public fury over the governor’s alleged misconduct has masked the once lively debate over Burris' decision to continue to prosecute – despite the objections of one of his top prosecutors – the wrong man for a high-profile murder case.

While state attorney general in 1992, Burris aggressively sought the death penalty for Rolando Cruz, who twice was convicted of raping and murdering a 10-year-old girl in the Chicago suburb of Naperville. The crime took place in 1983.

But by 1992, another man had confessed to the crime, and Burris’ own deputy attorney general was pleading with Burris to drop the case, then on appeal before the Illinois Supreme Court.

Burris refused. He was running for governor..."


Under orders from Burris:


"...State prosecutors carried on with the prosecution, even after DNA evidence in 1995 excluded Cruz as the victim's rapist and linked somebody else—sex offender Brian Dugan–to the crime..."

more... http://www.propublica.org/article/in-90s-burris-sought-death-penalty-for-innocent-man-1231

[NYC_SKP]

1. Well, that's unacceptable. nt

[Zaidinit]

2. Chicago seems no different than its portrayal in The Dark Knight as Gotham

The only problem is there's no Harvey Dent or Batman.

[Colobo]

3. Both Blago and Burris can go fuck themselves.

[Undercurrent]

5. Agreed.

Brian Dugan's confession didn't stop Burris. Even when the DNA confirmed that the real perpetrator was indeed Brian Dugan, it STILL didn't stop Burris from trying his best to kill an innocent man.



Sheesh! It typo city for me tonight! (it's the celebrating, you know - haha)

[Colobo]

4. Dupe.

[Danger Mouse]

6. Looks like Burris puts Burris first.

[firedupdem]

7. Burris, Blago, and Rush can jump in the fucking river. They are

an embarrassment to my home state and to the democratic party. This shit is ridiculous.

[Phx_Dem]

8. That's another great reason why we should not have the death penalty.

Idiot politicians using it to make themselves look tough for political gain. Disgusting.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

9. I applaud this post because it's actually about BURRIS

Of course, Burris being a bad guy is no basis for the senate refusing to swear him in, but at least the OP is talking about the character of the man himself rather than the character of who appointed him.

[Undercurrent]

10. Yes, it's no basis for the Senate to reject him.

The more I find out about Burris, the more I dislike him. It's strange that he chose to put himself under Fitzgerald's scrutiny. Fitz would be derelict if he didn't now investigate the Burris/Blago relationship, so it's came as no surprise to me when he requested a 90 day extension of the investigation.

[mvd]

11. Same here

This is bad, IMO. Perhaps Burris is not so liberal after all.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

12. The Nicarico case was HUGE in Illinois. Not to defend Burris, and >>>

we know NOW he was wrong, but at the time I'm sure he was getting more than equal pressure from other sides, particularly DuPage prosecutors, telling him that Cruz was guilty.

[totodeinhere]

13. There is no law that says that the governor cannot appoint a pro death penalty senator.

The death penalty should be abolished, but that has nothing to do with this argument over Burris. However, if Burris is seated and then runs in 2010, his stand on the death penalty should be an issue that the voters would want to take into consideration.

[polmaven]

17. Pro death penalty is one thing....

Pro death penalty for an innocent man is quite another.

[Unsane]

14. Black-Brown discrimintation?

Mewonders whether Burris would have been so gung ho had Mr. Cruz been an African-American.

[camera obscura]

15. The death penalty is fucking disgusting. No civilized country should even consider it.

I know Obama supports it, but I really wish he didn't.

[Unsane]

16. Obama probably doesn't really support it.

He has to act like he does, though.

[Hippo_Tron]

18. Federal executions rarely happen anyway so it's almost moot

The only one that will likely come up during Obama's tenure is a terrorist (can't remember the name). And that's another one I can't really wrap my head around. If these guys want to be martyrs, why do we grant their wish?