Blago’s Pick For The Senate Tried To Execute An Innocent Man
Apparently because he was running for Governor at the time and thought the case made good headlines.
Public fury over the governor’s alleged misconduct has masked the once lively debate over Burris’ decision to continue to prosecute, despite the objections of one of his top prosecutors, the wrong man for a high-profile murder case.
While state attorney general in 1992, Burris aggressively sought the death penalty for Rolando Cruz, who twice was convicted of raping and murdering a 10-year-old girl in the Chicago suburb of Naperville. The crime took place in 1983.
But by 1992, another man had confessed to the crime, and Burris’ own deputy attorney general was pleading with Burris to drop the case, then on appeal before the Illinois Supreme Court.
Burris refused. He was running for governor.
It appears as though Burris pushed forward with the prosecution of Cruz not only when another man confessed to the crime (which isn’t exactly a smoking gun as people confessing to crimes they didn’t commit is more common than you’d think in the criminal justice system), but when DNA evidence actually excluded him as a suspect.
Again, because the case was important to Burris politically.
Which pretty much makes him the scum of the earth, doesn’t it? And remember, this is a guy Obama himself described as “a good man and a fine public servant.”
Yet another blow for Obama’s judgment to chalk up there with Ayers, Blagojevich, Dohrn, Wright and Rezko.
But even with all this, I still think Blago’s appointment of Burris has to go through. Blago is still the Governor, and making the appointment is still his responsibility. He did so legally, and the man he chose fills all the state and federal requirements for being a Senator.
Like it or not, I think Democrats have to seat this guy. Scummy as he is.
