For those of you who don't remember she was the little 10 year old girl who was abducted from her home and later murdered when she stayed home from school due to illness. Two men were ultimately wrongly convicted and sentenced to death for the crime but were later exonerated among accusations of wrong doing among prosecutors (its a very complex story) as well as other things. Brian Dugan who was in prison for murdering two other girls did confess to the crime and DNA evidence even linked him to the rape and murder but for some reason was never indicted at the time. Well the grand jury has finally indicted him and he will stand trial for her murder.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/top/2_1_AU30_NICARICO_S1.htm

That's great that they finally got around to indicting the guy. I remember seeing this case profiled on UM and was shocked that the authorities had a good idea of who killed Jeanine, they had DNA to link him to the crime, they had a confession, yet they didn't press charges. As a law student (and aspiring prosecutor,) I have to wonder why. :angryfire

Isn't it amazing how the details of a case will flood back to you just by seeing a picture? Crazy...

That's great that they finally got around to indicting the guy. I remember seeing this case profiled on UM and was shocked that the authorities had a good idea of who killed Jeanine, they had DNA to link him to the crime, they had a confession, yet they didn't press charges. As a law student (and aspiring prosecutor,) I have to wonder why.

Well, I remember watching a segment about this case on 60 Minutes in 1997. At the time, despite the DNA evidence against Dugan, it appeared doubtful that he was going to be charged with Jeanine's murder. The suspected reason was that doing so would require the state to admit that they had made a mistake in prosecuting the wrong men. And there are people who don't have the stomach to make admissions of such errors.

Well, I remember watching a segment about this case on 60 Minutes in 1997. At the time, despite the DNA evidence against Dugan, it appeared doubtful that he was going to be charged with Jeanine's murder. The suspected reason was that doing so would require the state to admit that they had made a mistake in prosecuting the wrong men. And there are people who don't have the stomach to make admissions of such errors.

Exactly. I think a lot of times public officials forget that they are supposed to be working in the interest of the public and not of their own egos.

Dugan's trial for murdering Jeanine Nicarico is finally going to being in January of 2009.

Apparently Dugan was attacked by another inmate earlier this year. Here's an article with a recent picture of him:

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=161845

Dugan also claims he was molested by serial killer John Wayne Gacy many years ago. Of course many doubt the story and think he's just trying to get sympathy to perhaps spare him the death penalty.

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/brian.dugan.gacy.2.742742.html

I do remember the final appeal of one of the accused killers. Was this the case in Illinois, with the footprint on the kicked-in door that didn't even match this guy's shoe...they just picked him because he was poor, Hispanic, and had no powerful friends? How long did he and the other man spend in prison? Were they ever compensated for wrongful conviction?

I do remember the final appeal of one of the accused killers. Was this the case in Illinois, with the footprint on the kicked-in door that didn't even match this guy's shoe...they just picked him because he was poor, Hispanic, and had no powerful friends? How long did he and the other man spend in prison? Were they ever compensated for wrongful conviction?

Yes the murder took place in Illinois and I remember there being a shoeprint on the door. I believe Jeanine was home sick from school that day. A very complicated case. Here is some more info about it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanine_Nicarico_murder_case

They spent almost 12 years in prison for the crime. I found a blurb that said the original defendants were paid $3.5 million in 1999 for compensation.

Well, good, at least they got something.

How about that poor man who didn't even speak English and took the dive for a rapist who did? Any update on that?

This is the one with the one guy who looked Native American gave an interview right? They showed his mug shot along with the other man's mug shot. The other man was crying in the picture. Whatever became of him?

I know their names are Cruz and Hernandez I just forgot who was who.

Well, good, at least they got something.

How about that poor man who didn't even speak English and took the dive for a rapist who did? Any update on that?

You mean Luis Diaz, who was convicted of the "Bird Road" rapes? If so, he's been a free man since 2005. He was exonerated via DNA evidence.

http://www.nbc6.net/news/4805018/detail.html

This is the one with the one guy who looked Native American gave an interview right? They showed his mug shot along with the other man's mug shot. The other man was crying in the picture. Whatever became of him?

I know their names are Cruz and Hernandez I just forgot who was who.

Yes that mugshot where Hernandez was crying has always stuck in my mind. I'm not sure whatever happened to Hernandez, is he the one who was attacked in prison by another inmate I believe kicked in the head and suffered some brain damage? Not really sure whatever happened to Cruz either. We have WGN on our cable and I believe he's had a few minor scrapes with the law since he's been released but nothing major that I recall.

"They spent almost 12 years in prison for the crime. I found a blurb that said the original defendants were paid $3.5 million in 1999 for compensation."


Its nice that they got compensated but I just cant even comprehend what kind of mental anguish someone would go through when spending 12 years in prison for a crime they didnt commit. Just think about how long 12 years is. No amount of money can make up for that much lost time.

You mean Luis Diaz, who was convicted of the "Bird Road" rapes? If so, he's been a free man since 2005. He was exonerated via DNA evidence.

http://www.nbc6.net/news/4805018/detail.html

Good. Hope he was compensated, too, though I agree that no amount of money could make up for the time.

CD, aren't you thinking of a different case? Or maybe it's me who's mistaken.... I don't know, but....

I saw a case on Forensic Files, with a homicide that happened in Texas and it was a young woman who was murdered. Two men went to jail for that crime. One of them who's first name is Richard I believe, was beaten by another inmate with steel toe boots and was left with some pretty bad brain damage. He was like, a ******** person, except he wasn't.

Anyway, the other man convicted along with Richard was released too. This man cracked under pressure and made a false confession, implicating Richard as his accomplice. The man responsible for the crime did confess, and DNA implicated him and cleared the other two.

Is that the one you're thinking about?

CD, aren't you thinking of a different case? Or maybe it's me who's mistaken.... I don't know, but....

I saw a case on Forensic Files, with a homicide that happened in Texas and it was a young woman who was murdered. Two men went to jail for that crime. One of them who's first name is Richard I believe, was beaten by another inmate with steel toe boots and was left with some pretty bad brain damage. He was like, a ******** person, except he wasn't.

Anyway, the other man convicted along with Richard was released too. This man cracked under pressure and made a false confession, implicating Richard as his accomplice. The man responsible for the crime did confess, and DNA implicated him and cleared the other two.

Is that the one you're thinking about?

Not sure. I could be mistaken. I do watch a lot of Forensic Files and maybe just mixed them up.