Convicted rapist freed but not pardoned

Press, 14 May 1985, Page 10

Convicted rapist freed but not pardoned

NZPA-AP Chicago Chicago Governor, Mr James Thompson, freed a convicted rapist, Gary Dotson yesterday, commuting the sentence for a rape his former accuser now says I never happened. The Governor, however, refused to grant Dotson a pardon proclaiming his innocence. Mr Thompson said he was ; commuting Dotson’s sentence to do justice and ; mercy, and that no good purpose would be served by returning Dotson to prison, where he has served six years of a 25 to 50 year sentence. Governor Thompson, acting a day after a clemency I hearing finished, said he did ■ not believe key aspects of ' Cathleen Crowell Webb’s ; story that she fabricated the i rape. 1/ • “I have to decide ®is

case as my gut tells me to decide it,” he said. Commutation of the sentence was contingent on future good behaviour by Dotson. He had the options of commuting Dotson’s sentence, granting him a pardon on grounds of innocence, or returning him to prison.

Dotson, aged 28, was convicted in 1979 of kidnapping and raping Mrs Webb, formerly of suburban Homewood. He was released on ?100,000 bond on May 1 while his case was being appealed.

The Illinois Prisoner Review Board, which conducted the three-day clemency hearing, made its recommendation to the governor on Saturday. Mrs Webb, aged 23, of Jaffrey, New Hampshire, testified before the board

that she fabricated the story that Dotson raped her in 1977 because she feared she was pregnant after having sex with a teen-age boyfriend.

On Friday, Warren Lupel, Dotson’s attorney, told Mr Thompson and the board that he was concerned that they would take the easy way out and simply commute Dotson’s sentence, rather than grant him a pardon based on innocence. Mr Lupel urged Mr Thompson and the board “to put your money where your mouth is and pardon Dotson.”

Mr Lupel’s comments drew a sharp response from a board member, William Redmond, who said: “I take offence at your suggestions that this board doesn’t have the courage to make a correct decision.”