Poster Boy

Gov. George Ryan pardoned Aaron Patterson in 2003, saying there was no credible evidence against him. Ryan also pardoned three other men and commuted the sentences of all other death row inmates to life without parole. Today Ryan, sentenced to six and a half years, is likely to go to jail after his appeal is completed , and Paterson is back for 30 years.

A former death row inmate who became a symbol of a badly broken criminal justice system harangued prosecutors and denounced a federal judge Tuesday before being sentenced to 30 years in prison for trading in guns and drugs.

Aaron Patterson, who prosecutors claimed coordinated gang activities even as he served 17 years in prison for a double murder he insists he didn't commit, made a 45-minute expletive-laden statement to the court before his sentence was read."You're going to put me down for a high sentence, but I'll be back. Back with a vengeance," said Patterson, his hands and ankles bound as he spoke from the defense table flanked by three federal marshals.

After his release and pardon, Patterson unsuccessfully ran for State Legislature.

No wonder Ryan was against the death penalty. He had a lot more in common with the criminals inside jail than voters.

Few stories remember why Patterson was on death row in the first place.