By: Diane Benjamin
If you forgot the details of this case, see this story: https://tinyurl.com/fkwse7hd
Mr. Beaman lost at least 13 years of his life, of course the Town of Normal won’t admit the police blew the investigation. Jennifer Lockmiller’s killer is still free. He deserves at least this much money. From the documentation – the taxpayers might be shelling out $1.4 million of the settlement.
Normal now has two unsolved murders of ISU students. https://blnnews.com/2023/12/26/remember-carols-last-christmas/
It might be fun to watch tonight’s Council meeting to see the spin. I won’t be watching but those of you who will get the bill might want to.
Does law enforcement and the courts plan on seeking the true killer? How about the prosecutor and the court systems response to this failure. We pay a lot on treasure to the lawyers and court to find justice.
Normal won’t even admit they made a mistake! Looking for the real killer now would indict them.
Long overdue. No consequences for the judge in the case?
The truth would indict them…how ironic!
The write up makes it sound like the Town Manager and Legal are more concerned with saving face than the impact to the person who they wrongly incarcerated.
This is another example showing that when Town staff makes a mistake, they prioritize protecting themselves over doing what is right for those they harmed.
Neither Beaman or Lockmiller were saints. Did he do it? Who knows? All I remember he was a cocky asshat through the whole trial that did himself no favors. Still likes to appear in media whenever the chance arises. Both he and Lockmiller were stoners at that time according to many articles written about the murders. Don’t want to be a suspect, don’t kick apartment doors in, or leave messages on the phone that might implicate you. Hopefully, the payment will make the cockmeister go away, but I doubt it. Would be more interested in justice for the murdered CPA a few years back. Did it all to himself despite any investigative incompetence.
I knew someone who was on the jury and they said the same thing about his attitude. Likely partially why they convicted him. They say a first impression is a lasting one.
I always wondered who was footing the bill for his lawsuits. Lawyers aren’t cheap by any means.
Central Illinois, McLean Co &, B-N and law love to go for the low hanging fruit (easy to get/close) good for metrics – “safer community” cause of us narrative.
Hope it changes someday soon.
Maybe he should have sued his defense lawyer for incompetence while he was at it if he was so sure of having nothing to do with the murder?
I had to attend the trial for a class at ISU. Unbelievable cockiness…but coming back from lunch break one day, I ended up in the elevator with him and his lawyer. Looked him dead in the eye and felt pure evil looking back. It was a feeling I’ve never forgotten and can see it like it just happened as I type this. You’ll never convince me he didn’t do it. He didn’t even flinch when they showed the picture of her with the scissors in her chest…. like he already knew what they would show. It was a very uneasy feeling in the room except for him as just swiveled his in chair without a care in the world.
A very punchable face that is still true today.
Sadly, someone put the scissors in her chest. Too bad justice is in its current state.
I know a few of you think that Beaman’ attitude and cockiness got him what he deserved but I knew a Normal police officer who felt he didn’t do it. Beaman was a young kid who had no common sense at the time or any kind of social skills. A must see movie is Trial by Fire which is a true story that happened in Texas. The guy was a real jerk, had run ins with the police and had a brother in law that was also a police officer. He was much like Beaman. He was convicted and sentenced to death row and later executed even tho he was found not to have done what he was convicted of. They relied on junk science and bullied witnesses to change their statements. We have a real problem if our attitudes and poor choices can get us convicted of a crime we didn’t commit.