RYAN PARDONS ANTHONY PORTER

SPRINGFIELD -- Governor George H. Ryan today announced that he has granted a pardon based on innocence to Anthony Porter of Chicago, freeing him from a 1983 murder conviction that was recently vacated by the Cook County Circuit Court.

The pardon now allows Porter to pursue compensation for false imprisonment from the Illinois Court of Claims. Porter was sentenced to death as a result of the murder conviction, but was released from prison earlier this year when new evidence called his murder conviction into question. Porter served 16.5 years on death row.

Earlier this month, upon the recommendation of the Cook County State's Attorney, the Cook County Circuit Court vacated Porter's murder conviction.

The pardon of the murder conviction does not affect Porter's 1983 convictions for armed robbery, unlawful restraint, unlawful use of weapons and aggravated battery. Porter was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment for the armed robbery conviction, 30 years for unlawful restraint, 30 years for unlawful use of weapons and six years for aggravated battery.

Under the Department of Corrections' day-for-day good conduct credit system, The minimum time Porter should have served in prison for the other 1983 convictions was 15 years.