Time is of the essence, says 84-year old Chester Weger’s lawyer. Andy Hale says evidence needs testing and witnesses need to be talked to about the Starved Rock murders case. Hale’s latest court filing asks for a new special prosecutor to take over from the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Hale says the Will County prosecutors have tried to prevent evidence testing and won’t talk to witnesses who say Weger is innocent. He says there’s an implicit bias to keeping Weger’s conviction intact and to suppress evidence that could clear Weger’s name after 63 years. Hale says maintaining the public’s confidence in the prosecution and justice requires someone else to take over on that side of the courtroom.
LaSalle County Judge Michael Jansz will let the special prosecutors respond and then he’ll have a hearing on June 20. Weger is out of prison on parole after 59 years behind bars.
Hale’s filing says Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow has inspected evidence himself and tried to keep Weger’s side from doing so. Hale says Glascow characterized the evidence as being a “complete disaster” even though much of it was very well preserved after six decades. And Hale says the special prosecutor is ignoring witnesses who say three women were killed in the state park in 1960 in a mob hit, that a LaSalle County deputy in those days said Weger is innocent, and that a telephone operator overheard two men possibly talking about the case and someone with bloody overalls in his car trunk.
In essence, Hale is arguing that a prosecutor’s job is not just to prosecute people for crimes but to prosecute the right people. And he’s saying the special prosecutor isn’t interested in making sure Weger was the right one.