Quinn Grants Last Minute Clemency For Danville Inmate Anthony Dansberry
Portrait of Anthony Dansberry prior to his conviction in a 1991 robbery and murder. His lawyers say the evidence against him was unreliable. courtesy: Center on Wrongful Convictions
One of Pat Quinn's final acts as governor was to grant clemency to dozens of current and former prisoners. That included Anthony Dansberry, who's serving a 75-year sentence at the Danville Correctional Center.
Dansberry was convicted in the 1991 robbery and murder of a woman in the Chicago suburbs.
Chris Benson, a lawyer and University of Illinois Journalism professor, says the case raises a number of troubling questions. He talked with Illinois Public Media's Scott Cameron about why Dansberry's lawyers say the evidence against him was flawed, the public push to clear his name and why Dansberry told him this past Christmas behind bars was nothing special.
A statement from the department of corrections Tuesday afternoon said the agency is waiting on final notification of Dansberry's commutation from the Prisoner Review Board. The agency expects his will be released by the end of the week.
On his final day in office, Quinn also granted a pardon to Urbana activist Aaron Ammons.
UPDATE: The Illinois Department of Corrections said in a statement that the agency received official notification on Wednesday morning to release Dansberry. IDOC expects that will happen Wednesday afternoon.