Leroy Orange (born July 20, 1950, in Chicago, Illinois) is an American man, who on January 12, 1984, was arrested along with his half-brother, Leonard Kidd, for the murders of four people (Ricardo Pedro, 25, Michelle Jointer, 30, Renee Coleman, 27, and Coleman's 10-year-old son, Tony) at 1553 W 91st Street in Chicago's South side Brainerd neighborhood based on false accusations by Kidd. Orange was convicted on the basis of a confession he gave after being tortured in Chicago's Area 2 police station under the direction of Commander Jon Burge. Orange confessed to a murder after police placed a plastic bag over his head and applied electric shocks to his testicles. Burge was thrown off the force in 1993 for directing the torture of scores of people in custody.[1][2][3]
Orange eventually confessed to the murders after twelve hours of interrogation and alleged torture at the hands of Chicago Police Lieutenant Jon Burge.[4] At trial, despite Kidd's testimony on the witness stand that he had acted alone, Orange was convicted. It would later be found that this was at least in part due to his defense attorney's failures to mount a robust defense.[5][6]
After several appeals that were being forestalled on technicalities, the Bluhm Legal Clinic, led by Thomas F. Geraghty, entered the case.
On January 10, 2003, Illinois Governor George Ryan granted Orange a full pardon based on innocence, criticizing prosecutors and the judiciary for relying on "procedural technicalities at the exclusion of the quest for truth".[7]
Leroy Orange was subsequently arrested for attempting to sell crack cocaine to an undercover police officer.[8]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Former Chicago Police Cmdr. Jon Burge, tied to torture cases, has died". Chicago Sun-Times. September 19, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
- ^ "Jon Burge, disgraced former CPD commander, dead at 70". ABC Chicago. September 19, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
- ^ "Jon Burge, Disgraced Former Police Commander, Dies at 70". WTTW-TV. September 19, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
- ^ "Amendment to House Bill 765". Illinois General Assembly. 2007-03-27. Archived from the original on 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2007-10-02.
- ^ Wilson, Terry (July 8, 1998). "Convicted Killer to be Resentenced, Judge Says Attorney Caused 'Breakdown'". Chicago Tribune – via ProQuest.
- ^ Armstrong, Ken; Mills, Steve (November 15, 1999). "The Failure of the Death Penalty in Illinois. Second of Five Part Series". Chicago Tribune – via ProQuest.
- ^ Center on Wrongful Convictions - Leroy Orange
- ^ Cook County judge still faces claims in torture case
External links edit
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