A brother's love: Man to be freed after 16 years in prison

Master Sgt. Rory Steidl could very well serve as the 'poster boy' for the Illinois State Police--- tall, broad-shouldered, slim-hipped, an iron-gray crewcut, square jaw and steely-blue eyes. More importantly, Rory Steidl believes in seeing that justice is done: the guilty should be punished and the innocent set free. It is this latter belief that inspired Rory's 16 year-long fight to free his brother first from Illinois' Death Row and later, from a sentence of natural life in prison.

Rory himself will admit that his brother Gordon was a troubled kid back in 1987; Gordon was dealing drugs, among other things, and he was 'ran with a bad crowd'. In the early morning hours of July 5th, 1987, Dyke and Karen Rhodes were murdered in their beds during a bungled robbery and their home set ablaze in an attempt to cover up the homicides. The case puzzled investigators and remained unsolved until the fall of that year when a young woman came forth saying she knew who committed the murders. That same day, Gordon Steidl and another man were arrested and charged with the crimes. They were convicted and sentenced to die.

I've heard Rory tell the story of his brother's arrest, and how Gordon clung to him crying, saying over and over, "I didn't do it, Boo (his nickname)". He told Gordon to look him in the eye and tell him that, and he did, and Rory said from that point on, he believed him. He promised him that he would do everything he could to help, and he has done so.

Rory Steidl spent the next 16 years interviewing witnesses and examining evidence which could help overturn his brother's conviction, first obtaining from former Gov. George Ryan a commutation of the death sentence imposed. Late last year his work paid off, and the Illinois Supreme Court ordered a new trial for Gordon, citing 'gross prosecutorial misconduct and inadequate and ineffective assistance of defense counsel'.

Early this morning, word came down from the Attorney General's Office that they would be delivering an order vacating Gordon's conviction to Judge Dean Andrews for his signature. Attorney General Lisa Madigan said, "This case represents a gross miscarriage of justice, and my office will not allow it to continue one day longer." Gordon Steidl will be a free man before sunset today.

I'm so happy for Rory (and Gordon, of course), because he never gave up his belief in his baby brother's innocence. Folks, that's LOVE!

:D

This just made me feel all warm and fuzzy today, and it sinks like a stone! LOL! :P

Regardless of one's philosophical opinion of the death penalty itself, I don't see how anyone could support it when even the possibility exists of executing an innocent person.

I was just thinking how fortunate he was to have someone who cared and who knew how to go about helping him. What about the thousands of people in prison who may be innocent, but have no one like this man did?

Just too sad for words. :(

Woo hoo! :D

We owe, we owe, so off to work he goes. :P

Tony writes well, too, although he doesn't think he does.:)

We thought it would be more appropriate here, and get more discussion.

I do not understand why. But they get really angry when an innocent guy gets out of jail. I have seriously had conversations like this:

Off duty cop: "I can't believe they're letting that scumbag go."

Me: "They discovered he was innocent."

Cop: "But just look at him! He looks like a scumbag."

Me: "Well ... he's hardly going to look GQ after 16 years in jail. And he didn't actually commit the crime."

Cop: "Doesn't matter. They should just put a f---ing bullet in his brain."

Me: "Even if he hasn't committed any crimes?"

Cop: "Yes!"

Me: "Oooookaaaaay."


There is a time when discussion becomes rather pointless.

Ewww.... :scared:

W:wow:w!

What if he hadn't had a brother who was a trained p/o helping to free him? :scared: