The Nation - News from May 17, 1985

The Illinois Supreme Court denied Gary Dotson’s request for a speedy hearing in his appeal of a lower court ruling that upheld his 1979 rape conviction. The justices, without comment, denied Dotson’s request to bypass the state appellate court and have his appeal of an April 11 ruling by Cook County Circuit Judge Richard Samuels heard immediately by the Supreme Court. Samuels had ruled that there was not sufficient evidence to overturn the conviction and sent Dotson back to prison. Meanwhile, Gov. James R. Thompson set the conditions for his commutation of Dotson’s sentence: Dotson must stay out of trouble with the law for three years or face returning to prison.