Jaime Hauad released from prison after serving 21 years
DLA Piper, the Children and Family Justice Center at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and Jones Day achieved a major victory today on behalf of their client, Mr. Jaime Hauad, who was released from prison after serving 21 years. Mr. Hauad was convicted for a double murder he was alleged to have committed as a juvenile and was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
Although he maintained his innocence from the beginning, Mr. Hauad was tortured during his interrogation – investigators sliced off the toe box of his shoes with a paper cutter - to elicit a confession. Due to recent findings from the Illinois Torture Inquiry Commission, as well as recent developments regarding Mr. Hauad's long-standing innocence claim, the Cook County State's Attorney agreed that the sentence should be reduced to time served.
Mr. Hauad's legal team will continue to fight to establish his innocence, and assist in the effort to obtain a Certificate of Innocence from the Illinois courts.
The DLA Piper team was led by partner Rachel Cowen (Chicago) and also included partner Richard Klawiter (Chicago), associate Kevin Harlow (San Diego), docketing manager Antonio Cerda and case manager Ann McClintic (both Chicago).
The Children and Family Justice Center at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law team was led by Legal Director Alison Flaum, and included former Clinical Assistant Professor Simmie Baer, Cynthia Estes and numerous law students.
The Jones Day team was led by partner Theodore Chung (Chicago), and also included of counsel Lee Ann Russo (Chicago) and associates Samantha Woo, Deborah Huerta and Kathryn Dore (all Chicago).
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