Johnnie Lee Savory was initially convicted after enduring extensive interrogation tactics, but an appellate court later threw out his involuntary confession. State prosecutors secured a second conviction in 1981 using witness statements that were eventually recanted under claims of police pressure. Decades after the homicides, missing physical evidence obstructed DNA testing, yet Savory secured parole and an executive pardon. In August 2026, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals granted immunity to the former officers named in Savory's civil rights lawsuit.
Key points
State appellate judges overturned the initial murder conviction in 1980 after ruling that…: State appellate judges overturned the initial murder conviction in 1980 after ruling that Savory's confession had been coerced.
Critical witness testimonies securing the 1981 conviction fell apart after witnesses admi…: Critical witness testimonies securing the 1981 conviction fell apart after witnesses admitted that police coercion led to false statements.
Federal appellate judges ruled in August 2026 that the former officers involved in the 19…: Federal appellate judges ruled in August 2026 that the former officers involved in the 1977 interrogation were shielded by immunity.
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A murder investigation in Peoria, Illinois, in 1977 changed the course of a 14-year-old boy’s life. Johnnie Lee Savory was taken in for questioning after two teenagers were found murdered, and after more than a day of interrogation, he confessed to the killings. His first conviction was later overturned because the confession was found to be involuntary, but a second trial resulted in another conviction. He spent decades behind bars before being released on parole in 2006 and pardoned in 2014. Nearly half a century after the killings, a civil rights case brought by Savory reached the Seventh Circuit, which ruled in August 2026 that the former officers were entitled to immunity.
A 29-hour police interrogation ended with a 14-year-old confessing to two murders
As reported by Illinois Courts, the case began on 18 January 1977, when 19-year-old Connie Cooper and her 14-year-old brother, James Robinson, were found stabbed to death at their home in Peoria. Their mother and stepfather discovered the bodies at around 4 pm. Police collected several items from the property, including a black nightstick, a pipe,…
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