Grayland Johnson

Grayland Johnson is one of the “Death Row 10,� a group of inmates claiming to have been tortured into false confessions by colleagues of the former Chicago police commander, Jon Burge. After Ryan’s decision in 2003, Johnson’s sentence was commuted to life without parole. Johnson’s lawyer, John Greenlees from the Illinois Appellate Capital Defender Office, hopes to gain another hearing on the torture evidence.

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Cops and Confessions, Chicago Tribune (investigative series), December 16, 2001 - January 6, 2002
This Chicago Tribune investigative series examines false confessions and the reasons behind them. The Tribune's investigation of murder cases filed in Cook County, Illinois since 1991 found at least 247 cases where suspects confessed, but the charges against them were dropped, the confession was thrown out, or the defendant was acquitted. The Tribune also found that police obtained confessions from men who were in jail when the crime occurred.

The Death Penalty Information Center
The Death Penalty Information Center is a non-profit organization serving the media and the public with analysis and information on issues concerning capital punishment. The Center was founded in 1990 and prepares in-depth reports, issues press releases, conducts briefings for journalists, and serves as a resource to those working on this issue. The Center is widely quoted and consulted by all those concerned with the death penalty.

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