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'Dead Wrong': Opens in Chicago

If you're in Chicago during the next month and looking for something different, check out "Dead Wrong", which came about when death row inmate Darby Tillis, who was released after it was proven he was framed for a double murder at a hot dog stand, went knocking on theater doors asking to put on a one-night show about his experience. [The Chicago Tribune reviews the show here.]

Tillis has the distinction of being one of the first exonerated Death Row inmates. He was sentenced to death in 1979 for a double murder at a hot dog stand in the Uptown neighborhood. Fingered by the real killer's girlfriend, who set him up to protect her boyfriend, Tillis went through five trials before he was freed in 1987 with the help of new evidence and petitions brought by Northwestern University's Center on Wrongful Convictions and the MacArthur Justice Center.

The theater company found his experience so compelling, they made the show part of its regular season. It opened last night and will run through May 15.

Dead Wrong, focuses on an examination of the death penalty throughout the country, in hopes of getting the public involved in the fight to abolish it altogether. Woven throughout the piece are blues songs written and sung by Tillis; Davy DeLaFuente provides guitar accompaniment.

"What we have done is put together a linear account of what life was like for Darby in prison and what it is like for him now," said Bryan, who directs the show.

Here's an interview with Darby Tillis. Tillis' co-defendant, Perry Cobb, also tried five times and finally released, tells his story here.

The show is at the National Pastime Theater, 4139 N. Broadway.
Tickets:(773) 327-7077.

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    Re: 'Dead Wrong': Opens in Chicago (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Apr 09, 2005 at 12:22:29 PM EST
    Good for him, lets have in all over this non nation, a great many people framed for crimes and why is that? ask are we really a nation of laws? or a nation of rich guys making laws for the dollar? i hope this guy makes some money and it should be a movie.