Man walks free from jail 35 years after wrongful conviction for murder of boy

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A Chicago man who was behind bars for 35 years following a wrongful conviction over the murder of a six-year-old boy has been freed.

Brian Beals was convicted in 1988, following the death of the child and the injuring of his mother in the city’s Englewood area, according to the Cook County State Attorney’s Office.

Mr Beals was a senior at Southern Illinois University and college football player at the time of the incident and became the unintended target of a local drug supplier’s threats.

According to the Illinois Innocence Project, bullets aimed at his vehicle struck six-year-old Demetrius Campbell and his mother, Valerie Campbell. Demetrius succumbed to his injuries.

The state attorney’s office hailed Mr Beals’ exoneration – the second longest wrongful imprisonment in Illinois history – as “a significant step towards justice”.

“This wrongful conviction represents a grave miscarriage of justice not only for Mr Beals but also for the victim and their family, who have been denied true justice for decades,” the office said in a statement.

“The case of Mr Beals highlights the critical need for this work, as the Office strives to restore faith in the criminal justice system and ensure that justice is served with integrity and fairness.”

Mr Beals was convicted primarily on the testimony of Valerie Campbell, who identified him as the shooter despite not being shown any line-ups or photographs.

Later evidence, including statements from five additional witnesses, affirmed that he was the intended target, not the perpetrator of the shooting. Photographic enhancement of police images also revealed bullet holes in Mr Beals’ car, further supporting his innocence.

According to the University of Springfield, Illinois, where the Illinois Innocence Project is based, the case involved several “notorious” local justice system figures, including Mr Beals’ defence attorney Earl Washington, who was previously labelled "inept".

Detective Thomas Ptak, the lead investigator, was linked to eight other proven wrongful convictions, with Beals becoming the ninth, according to the institution.

Mr Beals is the 521st individual to be exonerated in Illinois, and served the second-longest term of wrongful incarceration in the state’s history.

Lauren Kaeseberg, co-director of the IIP, said:  “We rejoice in Brian Beals’ freedom today but his innocence has been apparent for 35 years.

“For far too long the Illinois justice system has failed him – and failed Demetrius Campbell. This case and far too many others like it have eroded police trust in too many Chicago communities.”

Also involved in the case was private attorney Laura Nirider, who is known for her work in the Brendan Dassey case featured in the Netflix series Making a Murderer.