Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Loyola hosts Franky Carrillo to discuss wrongful murder conviction

Loyola Law School's Center for Restorative Justice hosted a talk on campus on Monday by Francisco "Franky" Carrillo, who last week was released from prison after 20 years of incarceration for a murder he did not commit. Carrillo will discuss his experience with the criminal justice system and his legal struggle to prove his innocence.

Carrillo was 16 years old when he stood trial for murder. Based primarily on eyewitness testimony, he was sentenced to two life sentences. Several witnesses recanted their identification of him as the killer in a 1991 drive-by shooting. Last Wednesday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Paul A. Bacigalupo ruled to have Carrillo released.

Clinical Professor Scott Wood, director of Loyola's Center for Restorative Justice, was instrumental in securing the release. Wood persuaded the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office to review the case at the urging of Carrillo's lawyer, Ellen Eggers. Eggers, a state public defender, was honored with the St. Ignatius of Loyola Award at a ceremony at Loyola on Feb. 10 for her pro bono work on the case.

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