Alan Beaman was sentenced to 50 years in prison for a murder that he did not commit. Jennifer Lockmiller was found dead in her apartment near Illinios State University in central Illinios. She had been stabbed with a pair of scissors and had an electrical chord tied around her neck.
The problem with the judgment, said a recent Illinios Supreme Court holding, was that evidence suggested Beaman was in Rockford at the time of the murder. The murder occurred about 120 miles south of Rockford in Bloomington.
The Illinios Supreme Court cited the presocution's failure to consider countervailing evidence regarding another suspect. The suspect, known only as John Doe, had abused his girlfriend on prior occasions, and was prone to erratic behavior due to his steroid use.
The prosecution turned a blind-eye to such evidence, and that was enough for the Illinois Supreme Court to reverse Beaman’s conviction. Beaman now may be eligible for $170,000 in compensation for wrongful accusation.
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