Both men received life sentences for the crimes that they were convicted of. Logan, left, and Wilson are seen above. Alton Logan has been in prison for 26 years for a murder he said he never committed. Now, lawyers for Wilson who died last year said their client admitted to the crime in 1982. They have come forward with an affidavit they signed that year, declaring Logan was not responsible for the shooting of a McDonald’s security guard in Chicago.

A 26-Year-Old Secret Could Free Inmate
By SHARON COHEN,
AP

CHICAGO (April 12) – For nearly 26 years, the affidavit was sealed in an envelope and stored in a locked box, tucked away with the lawyer’s passport and will. Sometimes he stashed the box in his bedroom closet, other times under his bed.

It stayed there — year after year, decade after decade.

Then, about two years ago, Dale Coventry, the box’s owner, got a call from his former colleague, W. Jamie Kunz. Both were once public defenders. They hadn’t talked in a decade.

“We’re both getting on in years,” Kunz said. “We ought to do something with that affidavit to make sure it’s not wasted in case we both leave this good Earth.”

Coventry assured him it was in a safe place. He found it in the fireproof metal box, but didn’t read it. He didn’t need to. He was reminded of the case every time he heard that a wronged prisoner had been freed.

In January, Kunz called again. This time, he had news: A man both lawyers had represented long ago in the murder of two police officers, Andrew Wilson, had died in prison.

Kunz asked Coventry to get the affidavit.

“It’s in a sealed envelope,” Coventry said.

Here is the full story.

Did the two lawyers do the right thing by keeping quiet knowing that an innocent man is behind bars for 26 years? What would you have done if you were these two lawyers?

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Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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