Photo: Getty Images
A man wrongfully convicted of the Illinois murder of a 6-year-old boy has been freed after spending 35 years in prison, CNN reports.
Brian Beals was a student and college athlete at Southern Illinois University when he “became the unintended target of a local drug supplier’s threats" while visiting home in 1988, according to the Innocence Project.
“Bullets aimed at Beals’ fleeing vehicle tragically struck 6-year-old Demetrius Campbell and his mother, Valerie Campbell,” per the Innocence Project. “Demetrius succumbed to his injuries.
Beals was convicted after Valerie Campbell identified him as the shooter during the trial despite not being shown any line-ups or photographs.
“However, newly surfaced evidence includes statements from five additional witnesses affirming that Beals was the intended target, not the perpetrator,” per the Innocence Project. “Photographic enhancement of police images also revealed bullet holes in Beals’ car, further supporting his innocence.”
A Cook County court recently granted a petition to vacate Beals' conviction, prompting his release.
The state's attorney's office said the move was a “significant step towards justice,” adding that the 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 Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.