RSHC Client Bernard Williams Free on Bond After 23 Years Wrongfully Incarcerated
Ron Safer and Eli Litoff are proud to be part of the team that secured Bernard Williams’ release from Cook County Jail on Friday. In February, the Court of Appeals vacated Mr. Williams’ murder conviction and granted a new trial, but a Cook County Judge ordered that Mr. Williams be held without bail until his new trial was completed. RSHC attorneys appealed that decision, arguing that Mr. Williams should be released in light of the Court of Appeals’ ruling that Mr. Williams was unlikely to be convicted based on the evidence against him. Last week, the Appellate Court granted Mr. Williams’ motion, reversed the Cook County Judge’s decision, and ruled that Mr. Williams was entitled to bond. Although the fight for his freedom is not over, we are proud that Mr. Williams, now 40 years old, is out of prison and with his family for the first time since he was arrested at the age of 17.