Two More Torture Victims Set Free

Ronald Kitchen has spent 21 of his 43 years in Illinois prisons, but late this afternoon, Kitchen, was set free.

He said: "For twenty one years, somebody's been telling me when to take a bath, when to eat, when to go outside Marvin Reeves was also released. He said: "It's definitely good to be out."

The two men were convicted for the 1988 murders of two women and three children, aged two through five, the victims suffocated or beaten before their house was set on fire.

This morning, a judge ordered new trials for both and the Illinois Attorney General then conceded there was insufficient evidence to support the charges. So both men walked free.

Kitchen said: "I never gave up hope. That's the last thing."

Kitchen was on death row until former Governor George Ryan granted clemency to death row inmates.

His conviction was tossed in part because of evidence that detectives under former Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge tortured him, forcing a confession.

Kitchen says: "As long as Jon Burge is free, his cronies, the fight has to continue."

Defense lawyers also say prosecutors lied about key evidence at trial and that justice here took 'way too long.

Reeves' attorney Michael Gill pointed out: "It's a great feeling, its' great that the system finally reached justice in this one. But as I say, if you look back on it, you can't take too much pride from it because it's been 20 years before this day came."