Lawyers say Imprisoned Peoria Man Innocent of Murder

Attorneys in Peoria filed a joint petition Thursday in hopes of reopening a more than 45-year-old murder case involving the killing of a police officer. Andy Hale of Chicago and Don Jackson of Peoria say improper use of witness testimonies put an innocent man in prison. Jackson says the 98-page petition is now in the hands of Circuit Court Judge Stephen Kouri to decide whether the case merits a reexamination: “He would have to find that substantial justice was not done in this case, that some of the evidence that was for example excluded, was critical evidence therefore that justice was not served.” Cleve Heidelberg is 73 years old and has maintained his innocence throughout the 45 years since the murder. He’s filed at least three petitions for writ for habeas corpus during his incarceration. All of them have been denied.