Reversing a death sentence. Ill. man tells story of escape from death row

He survived two execution dates but lost one third of his life. He sat on death row for 12 years. He then spent five and a half years on life without parole-all for a murder he did not commit.

Randy Steidl, a member of Witness to Innocence and the Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, spoke in the Abbott Auditorium Tuesday night about his experience spanning a 15-year period in which he lost every appeal he had.

"It was basically an exercise in futility…it wasn't until I finally got to federal court in 2002 that I got any release after almost 16 years of a wrongful conviction," Steidl said.

In 1986, Steidl was accused of murdering newlyweds Karen and Dyke Rhoads in Paris, Ill.

During the July 4 weekend, the couple was murdered by being stabbed roughly 50 times and their house was set on fire. Three days after the murder, five police officers took Steidl and his co-defendant, Herb Whitlock, out of a bar in handcuffs. Steidl and Whitlock cooperated and were released.

"Seven months later we were arrested and charged with double murder on testimony of the town drunk and some mentally ill woman," Steidl said.

The witnesses were Darral Herrington and Debbie Reinbolt. There was no forensic evidence tying the men to the crime, according to Steidl, and it was revealed that both witnesses were paid-one of them $25,000-to testify.

"We weren't released because of the system," Steidl said. "We were released in spite of it."

According to Steidl, Illinois is second to Florida for the number of people exonerated from receiving the death penalty. Illinois has exonerated 20 individuals. Florida has exonerated 23.

"I want to give people the perspective that you can release an innocent man from prison," Steidl. "You cannot release an innocent man from his grave."

Steidl's experience took a toll on his family, as well as the victim's family. "I saw the pain and the anguish on their face [of the victim's family]," Steidl said, "and that just continues to open a wound."

When Steidl was released in 2004, he was released into the world of computers and cell phones, all of which he had to adjust to. "After all of those years, it was like being Rip Van Winkle waking up after 20 years walking into a whole new world," Steidl said.

Steidl was allowed three visits per month where he saw his family. Steidl said it was great seeing his family walk in the door, but it was hard for them. "[That is] something no family should have to go through; no children should have to go through," Steidl said.

Steidl was convicted when he was 35 years old and got out at 54. "My kids weren't kids anymore," Steidl said. "They were adults."

Steidl said he saw 12 men executed while he sat on death row and they "didn't go out kicking and screaming" because death was a relief. "They were being released," Steidl said. "Five minutes on that gurney after decades on death row-they were being released."

Senior criminal justice and political science major Robert Levi Carwile of Olney attended Steidl's speech because he is in the class that put the event on, Political Science 472 and a human rights class.

"It's a very moving story," Carwile said. "Obviously, the man had a lot taken from him his entire life. It's sad that this is not the only isolated incident in the state of Illinois or across the country."

Original report here




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