Around 300 people were arrested, many of them brutally, on . He hopes to work to change the law that led to his wrongful conviction. After spending 11 months in jail awaiting trial and facing a potential life sentence, McCann pleaded no contest to the count involving the Tumble Dam, believing he had no chance of acquittal if there was a video that contradicted his recollection, especially in a community convinced he had murdered Jodi Parrack. Parracks body was found there a short time later. The detectives were so desperate to solve this case and so blinded by their belief that McCann must have been involved, that they ignored powerful evidence pointing to his innocence. In fact, even after Furlong was identified by DNA evidence as the killer, the authorities went to McCanns prison and tried to pressure him into admitting that he and Furlong were accomplices. Michigan Innocence Clinic Director David Moran (left) and Raymond McCann II, Support The National Registry of Exonerations , The Contribution of Forensic and Expert Evidence to DNA Exoneration Cases, Race and Wrongful Convictions in the United States, 2022, Government Misconduct and Convicting the Innocent, Witness Recantations: Preliminary Findings, May 2013, Exonerations in the United States: 1989 - 2012, Tell us about an Exoneration that we missed, Other Michigan Exonerations with Innocence Organization Involvement. The Registry also maintains a more limited database of known exonerations prior to 1989. This was one of the worst cases of police tunnel vision Ive ever seen, Drizin said. Raymond McCann charged with perjury in connection with murder of Jodi Parrack McCann, 46, had been deemed a 'person of interest' by police Jodi, 11, was murdered in Michigan in 2007 after. Lonnie Palmer and MSP Lt. Shane Criger as defendants. The Donald Pritzker Entrepreneurship Law Center (DPELC) continued its Future of Innovation, Sustainability and the Law Speaker Series in February. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison in 2015. Following McCanns arrest, Furlong said, I thought I was in the clear, according to a videotape of his confession obtained by WOODTV. RAYMOND MCCANN OBITUARY DDS Jan. 1, 1925 - Dec. 10, 2013 Raymond McCann passed away Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at about 4:50 p.m. Here the tunnel vision had such momentum that even after DNA and Furlongs confession completely exonerating Ray, it still took years and the force of two law school legal clinics to finally have his conviction vacated, Swygert said. First, the students established that darkness made it impossible to tell whether McCanns car or any other specific cars were in the area near the Tumble Dam path. While McCann was in prison, a man named Daniel Furlong attempted to abduct another young girl in nearby White Pigeon, Michigan. Drizin recruited his CWC colleagues Greg Swygert and Megan Crane, students Courtney Cronin and Caroline McMahon, David Moran, Director of the Michigan Innocence Clinic, to work on the case. Named a suspect and jailed for 20 months on a plea deal after the prosecutor said he lied while under investigation, McCann last month saw his conviction vacated after the prosecutor agreed to drop the charge. Northwestern recognized for internationalization amid high demand for global education, Hes helping young musicians bridge the gap between art and business, Trethewey named to the Academy of American Poets, How the second-longest US government shutdown is affecting the economy, Learning to write like a president sounds. Four Winds Casino South Bend celebrates hotel grand opening, St. Joe High School basketball player shares his story after overcoming gun violence, Brey preps for final home game as head coach of Notre Dame men's basketball, Free virtual workshop on housing and lending laws, Indiana Toll Road reopens after large police presence. McCann, Captain Raymond D. Retired Chicago Police Department, passed away on Friday, December 5th. Police questioned him nearly two dozen times over five years. McCann held many command posts at the Chicago Police Department during his 33 years serving the people of Chicago. When I got out of prison, I went through a lot of depression wondering why this happened, he says. The girl got away and led authorities back to Daniel Furlong. The Michigan State Police detective testified under oath that video footage from a surveillance camera on a nearby factory proved McCann was never there that night. While McCann was in prison, a man named Daniel Furlong attempted to abduct another young girl in nearby White Pigeon, Michigan. When the girls body was found at the cemetery, authorities pointed fingers back in McCanns direction. Although the tactics failed to coerce Ray into making a false confession, they did succeed at ruining Rays reputation and destroying his relationships with family and friends, Swygert said. In March of 2016, lawyers and students from both projects launched a re-investigation into the case. 312.503.8977 fax For more background information about the case, see Ken Kolkers Making a Monster on WOODTV. A Michigan State Police detective falsely told McCann they had evidence tying him to the murderincluding that McCanns DNA was on Parracks body and Parracks DNA was in McCanns truck. RAYMOND C. McCANN, Respondent, v. KATHLEEN D. McCANN, Appellant. On November 21, 2015, Fender and her children were evicted. In 2014, the prosecutor then charged McCann with perjury during a murder investigation, which carries a life sentence. McCann, a reserve police officer, agreed to help participate in the search. The perjury charge in a murder investigation carried a potential life sentence, equal to the penalty for murder itself. The detective then persuaded the county prosecutor to issue a subpoena to require McCann to testify under oath concerning his whereabouts at the time of Parracks disappearance. The threat of a life sentence for what could simply be differing recollections is too strong a tool for prosecutors and could lead to further wrongful convictions. The murder of Jodi Parrack has been a subject of ongoing investigation and debate in Michigan since the 11-year-old was murdered in November of 2007. He became a person of interest after he was one of several people to suggest searching the local cemetery. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Man Halts His Murder Trial, Confesses to Killing Teen Girl After Valentine's Dance 47 Years Ago, videotape of his confession obtained by WOODTV. Mar 01, 2023. The system failed, and I saw it. The Michigan students made two important discoveries which proved that there was no video evidence to prove that McCann had lied under oath about driving to the Tumble Dam. But the only criminal charge that resulted was for perjury. In 2012, with the investigation going cold, the Michigan State Police detective told one of McCanns relatives that he wanted to see McCann locked up to increase the pressure on him toconfess. Get the latest news delivered to your inbox. 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But a detective claimed that surveillance video recorded from a nearby factory showed McCann was never there though the video evidence was later discredited. One of the perjury counts stemmed from McCanns testimony that he had searched for Parrack at the Tumble Dam, a ruin where Constantine kids often hung out. Its scary. If you're in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist . In March 2016, lawyers and students from both projects launched a re-investigation in the case. Second, further investigation and a closer look at the video revealed that video camera could not have captured McCanns car because the cameras were not facing the direction of the path to the Tumble Dam. For more background information about the case, see Ken Kolkers Making a Monster on WOODTV. If she wasnt found there, wed just continue to look, he tells PEOPLE now. Five months later, in August 2015, authorities identified another suspect, Daniel Furlong, after Furlong was arrested on suspicion of luring and assaulting a 10-year-old girl who escaped. Drizin worked with colleagues Swygert and Megan Crane from the Center on Wrongful Convictions and Northwestern Law students Courtney Cronin and Caroline McMahon and partnered with David Moran, the director of the Michigan Innocence Clinic. New evidence proved him innocent in the case and a St. Joseph County Prosecutor dismissed the charges. He lost his job, was estranged from his son and his wife divorced him.. Christmas came two weeks early for Raymond McCann II when St. Joseph County, Michigan Circuit Court Judge Paul E. Stutesman signed an order today granting McCanns motion to vacate his 2012 perjury conviction. Case marks third with Michigan Innocence Clinic, all result in exonerations, From left to right: Amanda Kenner, James Mestichelli, David Moran, Raymond McCann, Greg Swygert, Rebecca Wyss. Ray McCann knew he had no connection to the 2007 strangulation murder of 11-year-old Jodi Parrack in the small village of Constantin, Michigan, where he was a reserve police officer. In March 2016, lawyers and students from both projects launched a re-investigation in the case. Raymond McCann served 20 months for perjury after taking a plea deal in what a federal lawsuit claims was a scheme to manufacture charges to pressure him into confessing to the 2007 murder of. Bluhm Legal Clinic Northwestern Pritzker School of Law 375 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611-3069 Phone: 312.503.8576. Nov 30, 2015 40 Dislike Share WOOD TV8 170K subscribers A former Michigan State Police detective who came out of retirement to solve the Jodi Parrack murder said he has no regrets about how. Ill never get an apology, I dont think, he says. Data on this page may be out of date. Constantine A man who was repeatedly hounded by police during an investigation of a girls killing in southwestern Michigan has filed a lawsuit, two years after his wrongful conviction for perjury was thrown out. Parracks body was found there a short time later. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison in 2015. The lawsuit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids, names the estate of the late former Constantine Police Chief James Bedell, Constantine officer Marcus Donker, St. Joseph County Sheriffs Detective Sgt. Raymond McCann We found 76 records for Raymond McCann in TX, WA and 26 other states. Raymond Stanley Mccann was born in 1953. Raymond was a graduate of Istrouma High School class of 1962 and Louisiana State University class of 1966. Evanston, IL 60201. Report an error or add more information about this case. He filed a lawsuit last week in federal court. McCanns exoneration marks the end of a nightmare that began on Nov. 8, 2007, when 11-year-old Jodi Parrack was reported missing in the small town of Constantine, Michigan. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison in 2015. New York has agreed to pay at least $21,500 to each of the hundreds of demonstrators at a 2020 George Floyd protest in the Bronx who were "arrested, detained, and/or subjected to force by police . Second, further investigation and a closer look at the video revealed that video camera could not have captured McCanns car because the cameras were not facing the direction of the path to the Tumble Dam. A Michigan State Police detective falsely told McCann they had evidence tying him to the murder, including that McCanns DNA was on Parracks body and Parracks DNA was in McCanns truck -- neither of which were true. He was born January 1, 1925 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin to. McCann served 20 months in jail and prison after feeling pressured to plead no contest to perjury. One of the perjury counts stemmed from McCanns testimony that he had searched for Parrack at the Tumble Dam ruin. One of the perjury counts stemmed from McCanns testimony that he had searched for Parrack at the Tumble Dam, a ruin where Constantine kids often hung out. The girl got away and led authorities back to Daniel Furlong. . He ended his career as Watch Commander of Chicago's 3rd District. This was one of the worst cases of police tunnelvision Ive ever seen, said Drizin. October 8, 2008, age 64. I grew up in this town, and that was one of the places to look.. It was a long process. The Michigan students made two important discoveries that established there was no video evidence proving McCann had lied under oath about driving to the Tumble Dam. The detective also lied about McCann to his family and friends in an apparent attempt to turn them against him and get McCann to confess. At the time of Jodis death, McCann was a volunteer reserve police officer who helped in the search and was the first one to arrive after her body was found at a local cemetery. Raymond McCann II with attorney Gregory Swygert Christmas came two weeks early for Raymond McCann II when St. Joseph County, Michigan Circuit Court Judge Paul E. Stutesman signed an order today granting McCann's motion to vacate his 2012 perjury conviction. McCann said under oath that he had parked at the trailhead and was prepared to search for Parrack there when he got a call and went elsewhere. On the day Parrack went missing, McCann who knew the victim and her family well told at least four people that they should search the local cemetery, a suggestion also made by others. RAYMOND MCCANN OBITUARY. These discoveries made it clear that the Michigan State Police detective, who had accused McCann of lying, had testified falsely about the video to Prosecutor McDonough. McCanns exoneration marks the end of a nightmare that began on November 8, 2007, when 11-year-old Jodi Parrack was reported missing in the small town of Constantine, Michigan. Contract Concerns: Did St. Joseph County overpay for County-City Building security? He expects them to say, Were sorry, we messed up, Swygert says. For more background information about the case, see Ken Kolkers Making a Monster on WOODTV. Its going to take a while to recover. He and his new girlfriend just want to get this behind me and live our lives. A Michigan State Police detective falsely told McCann they had evidence tying him to the murderincluding that McCanns DNA was on Parracks body and Parracks DNA was in McCanns truck. McCann understands that some people may still hold the allegation against him. Ray has only stepped foot in this small town two or three times since being released, says his attorney. 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