Excerpts from the Chicago Tribune online: Adam Gray has spent nearly twenty years hoping for a chance at freedom. His hope rested on the possibility that the Cook County prosecutors might someday recognize how advancements in fire science raised serious doubts about his conviction for starting a fatal fire in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood. Now, two decades after being sentenced to life without parole, it seems that hope may finally be realized. Recently, prosecutors in the Conviction Integrity Unit under State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez agreed that Gray deserves a new trial. They cited significant developments in fire science that undermine key expert testimony used to convict him in 1996. “Gray’s original conviction is based, to some extent, on scientific testimony that is no longer considered valid or supported by current scientific understanding,†Assistant State’s Attorney Celeste Stewart Stack stated in court documents, conceding to Gray’s request for a retrial. This turnaround has taken far too long to materialize. Even though groundbreaking advancements in fire science emerged in the early '90s—the very period when the fire occurred—investigators were slow to adopt these changes. Instead, they relied on outdated methods passed down through generations of firefighters or drawn from personal experience, despite the lack of scientific backing. It wasn’t until much later that modern standards were widely embraced by the fire investigation community. Today, legal professionals across the U.S. are reassessing older cases to determine whether fires were truly arson. Several convictions have already been overturned. One of the most high-profile examples involves Cameron Todd Willingham, who was executed in Texas in 2004 for allegedly setting a fire that killed his three children. A Tribune investigation revealed that his conviction was built on flawed scientific assumptions. Later, a forensic science commission in Texas concurred that the conviction was incorrect, and many now view Willingham as a tragic symbol of wrongful execution. Despite this, the prosecutor in that case remains steadfast in his belief in the conviction. In Gray’s situation, the fire happened in March 1993 when he was just 14. The prosecution alleged that Gray, upset over rejection by a girl living in a two-flat building on South Albany Avenue, poured an accelerant onto the enclosed back porch and stairway. While the girl and her parents managed to escape, the second-floor tenants, Peter McGuiness (54) and his sister Margaret Mesa (74), tragically perished. At trial, prosecutors emphasized two critical points: the supposed intentional nature of the fire and Gray’s confession. Fire investigators testified about seeing signs of alligator charring and deep burn patterns, which they claimed indicated a deliberately set fire using an accelerant. A milk jug found near the property was believed to contain an accelerant, and a gas station attendant recalled selling gas to Gray shortly before the incident. Gray initially admitted to purchasing gasoline for the fire but later recanted, asserting that his confession came under duress from interrogating officers. He maintained that he was asleep at a friend’s house during the fire. Gray’s legal team gained traction after consulting renowned fire experts John Lentini and Gerald Hurst, who had also reviewed the arson investigation in the Willingham case. Hurst argued that the initial arson findings were flawed, particularly regarding the interpretation of alligator charring and burn patterns, which do not necessarily indicate arson. Additionally, Hurst criticized the lack of a comprehensive investigation into possible accidental causes. Although it was known at trial that the substance in the milk jug was not gasoline but rather a petroleum distillate, Lentini discovered that it differed from substances found on the burned wood at the scene, likely originating from treated wood products. Neither substance appeared to function effectively as an accelerant. Last year, confronted with this new evidence, prosecutors remained convinced of Gray’s guilt and resisted granting a new trial, citing the confession as a key piece of evidence. In legal filings, they insisted there was no need to revisit Gray’s conviction. Thanks, Dan!
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