A Chicago man who was granted a new trial after 28 years behind bars will have to wait a bit longer to learn if he can actually gain genuine freedom.
Gerald Reed has long contended he was tortured by officers under command of notorious Chicago police Sgt. John Burge into confessing to a 1990 double murder. Last month, retiring Cook County Judge Thomas Gainer said he found Reed’s claims credible, vacated his conviction, and ordered a new trial.
But prosecutors said they were sticking to the case, and that they definitely would try Reed again. So now, the question of releasing Reed on bail looms before a new judge.
That was part of the issue on Wednesday, when Reed’s relatives came to court, hoping to see him walk free on bond. His attorney filed a motion seeking to quash the original indictment. Prosecutors said they needed time to respond. And the judge, Thomas Hennelly, said he needed time to get up to speed on the case.
“All I know about this case is what I read in the papers,” the judge said. “And that’s probably incorrect.”
The judge ordered another hearing for Jan. 30. And that did not set well with Reed’s family and supporters who lambasted the special prosecutor for sticking with the case in the face of the torture allegations.
“My son has not been home for Christmas for 28 years,” said Reed’s mother Armanda Shackleford. “I didn’t even get a hug from my son, and you don’t know how bad that hurts. But I’m not giving up, because my son needs to be free.”
