Judge Orders 3 Freed After 14 Years

By MIKE ROBINSON, Associated Press Writer

CHICAGO (AP) - Three men sentenced to life in prison for the 1986
rape and murder of a medical student were ordered freed Wednesday, one day after a prosecutor said there was no evidence against them.

Circuit Judge Dennis J. Porter ordered Calvin Ollins, 29, his cousin
Larry Ollins, 31, and Omar Saunders, 32, released Wednesday, 14 years after their convictions.

He also erased charges against a fourth man, Marcellius Bradford, who served 61/2 years after testifying against the other three. He now says he falsely confessed under police coercion to save
himself from a life sentence. Prosecutors said initial investigation linking the men to the rape and slaying of Lisa Roscetti on
Chicago's West Side was based on the best evidence available. A crime lab analyst, Pamela Fish, testified semen found on Roscetti's body could have belonged to the men.
But a DNA expert later examined Fish's notes and said they showed none of the four men had a blood type matching the samples. More DNA tests ordered by Porter
this spring found that hairs and semen stains on Roscetti's jacket were not from any of the four defendants.
``We can't be afraid to say a mistake was made,'' said Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine on Tuesday.

Defense attorney Kathleen Zellner said she planned to file a lawsuit charging malicious prosecution and emotional distress by detectives and prosecutors. She said she would also seek clemency from the governor, which would entitle each man to $120,000 from the state.

``I cannot overstate the official misconduct, the abuse of power,
some of the activities that went on, which I believe to be criminal in nature,'' Zellner said. Fish has also testified at the trials of two men wrongly convicted of two 1986 sexual assaults, and in
the case of a man wrongly convicted as Chicago's ``beauty shop
rapist.'' Fish was working for the Chicago Police Department crime lab at the time she gave the testimony. State police took over that lab in 1996, hired Fish and later promoted her to the biochemistry division supervisor. After questions were raised about her testimony, she was transferred in August to an administrative job that does not involve overseeing other scientists

The injustice system at work again:rolleyes:

Good thing they weren't executed...

I am surprised Ashcroft is allowing someone by the name of Omar free. ;) Seriously though, this hopefully will change some people's minds about the death penalty and help prove that capital punishment is obsolete in this day and age.

I have pointed out before- the death penalty would not be as bad, if the justice system worked in the first place.

Originally posted by Criminal


Defense attorney Kathleen Zellner said she planned to file a lawsuit charging malicious prosecution and emotional distress by detectives and prosecutors. She said she would also seek clemency from the governor, which would entitle each man to $120,000 from the state.

``I cannot overstate the official misconduct, the abuse of power,
some of the activities that went on, which I believe to be criminal in nature,'' Zellner said. Fish has also testified at the trials of two men wrongly convicted of two 1986 sexual assaults, and in
the case of a man wrongly convicted as Chicago's ``beauty shop
rapist.'' Fish was working for the Chicago Police Department crime lab at the time she gave the testimony. State police took over that lab in 1996, hired Fish and later promoted her to the biochemistry division supervisor. After questions were raised about her testimony, she was transferred in August to an administrative job that does not involve overseeing other scientists

$120,000 each!!!!! For 15 years of your life robbed from you????

**** that, I say prosecute the evil bastards that falsely convicted these guys, and find the real ****in rapist like they should have in the first place.

Originally posted by CodyChaos


$120,000 each!!!!! For 15 years of your life robbed from you????

**** that, I say prosecute the evil bastards that falsely convicted these guys, and find the real ****in rapist like they should have in the first place.
They will never get a conviction. I did not work in the case of Cruiz, that guy who was convicted of killing Jenine Nacarico, only to be aquitted by DNA evidence. Now that guy was sitting on death row in Illinois, just waiting for his turn to fry when they found he was innocent. They put the detectives on trial for manipulating justice but none of them were convicted.

I myself would like to see that Forensic "Expert" get a taste of her own medicine myself.