"A MURDER IN THE PARK" Film Talk-back with John Drummond

Was a Killer Set Free? Wilmette Theatre Hosts “A MURDER IN THE PARK” Film Talkback with Chicago Investigative Reporter John Drummond and Moderated by Former CBS2 News Anchor Linda MacLennan

July 19th at 2pm

This powerful documentary lays out the entire case, from the August 1982 murders of Jerry Hillard and Marilyn Green, to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s year-long re-investigation of the case.

In 1999 Anthony Porter was released after spending 16 years on death row in an Illinois prison. Porter had been convicted in the 1982 murder of two teenagers in a Chicago park. According to a new true crime documentary, “A Murder in the Park,” there is more to the story. Following the 2:00 pm screening on July 19th, the Wilmette Theatre will hold an audience talk-back with Chicago Investigative Reporter John Drummond, who reported extensively on this case, moderated by former CBS2 News Anchor Linda MacLennan.

A MURDER IN THE PARK re-examines one of the most pivotal conviction reversals in U.S. history. In 1983, Anthony Porter was sentenced to death for the 1982 murders of teenagers Jerry Hillard and Marilyn Green in Chicago’s Washington Park. In 1998, students from a prestigious University’s Innocence Project re-investigated the case, and seemingly found the real killer, Alstory Simon. Simon “confessed” to the crimes, and Porter was released and pardoned. Once just 48 hours from execution, Porter’s harrowing ordeal shook then-Governor Ryan’s confidence in the justice system, and he vacated the sentences of all Illinois death row inmates.

Soon after his “confession,” Simon accepted a plea bargain, and began serving a 37-year sentence for the killings. He later claimed that the evidence he was presented with to secure his confession and plea was bogus, but left him feeling he had no choice but to confess.

A MURDER IN THE PARK’s investigation provides a fascinating glimpse into a very broken criminal justice system, and questions the motives and tactics of those trying to free the wrongly accused as well as end the death penalty.

When it comes to investigative reporting in Chicago, John Drummond has written the rule book. He made his mark as a reporter for WBBM-TV where he worked for nearly four decades, from 1969 to 1995. He is best known for his reporting on organized crime, unsolved mysteries, and local politics. He has also written two books, Thirty Years in the Trenches and It Ain’t Pretty But it’s Real.

Tickets are available at: www.wilmettetheatre.com

FILM REVIEWS

“A Gripping Documentary.”
The Plain Dealer

“Valuable and Thorough Investigative Reporting.”
StageBuddy

“A Jaw-Dropping Story of Corruption and Thwarted Justice”
PopMatters

“It’s hard To Remember a Documentary... As Engaging and Memorable as this Film.”
Movies With Abe

“Fascinating and Enraging”
Mad Cow

About The Wilmette Theatre:

The not-for-profit Wilmette Theater is the premiere multi-arts and performance center anchoring the downtown Wilmette business district by providing vibrant entertainment, education and enrichment for the community. 1122 Central Avenue, Wilmette, IL, 60091. www.wilmettetheater.com | 847-251-7424.

Community sponsor: North Shore Community Bank

Media sponsor: Make it Better