McLean County, Ill. (WMBD) — On Friday, a status hearing was held concerning Barton McNeil’s case. The courts convicted him in 1999 for murdering his daughter in 1998. McNeil has maintained that he’s innocent while serving a 99-year sentence.
McNeil is represented by the Illinois Innocence Project and The Illinois Exoneration Project. He was not in court but advocates did show support in the courtroom.
“I grew up thinking the justice system was fair and that people were presumed innocent and that the system worked. Basically, since watching ‘Just Mercy,’ the movie with Bryan Stevenson, and then learning about Bart’s case, I’m just shocked at how horrible and how slanted the system could be,” said Thomas Gorman.
A motion hearing is scheduled for June 6.