Inmate who alleges he was tortured by Chicago police gets new murder trial

Gerald Reed has been serving a life sentence for a 1990 double murder he says he didn't commit.

He has spent 28 years behind bars, but this Friday may be his last day.

“I was so happy...to know that all this is coming to an end,” said Reed’s mother, Armanda Shackelford.

Shackelford is overjoyed by the judge's decision.

“He ruled for a new trial because it really wasn't any proof to prove that he actually did the crime,” Shackelford said.

Her now 54-year-old son alleges he was beaten into confessing he killed two people in 1990. Reed claims he's a victim of the notorious "Midnight Crew" of detectives under disgraced former Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge, who’s accused of torturing suspects -- some by a cattle prodder or suffocation by plastic to force confessions.

Shackelford says her son was shot in 1985 and had a rod placed in his leg to help it heal. She says his leg and the rod were broken again by Chicago police.

“Because he refused to sign the statement that they typed up they beat him so bad,” Shackelford said.

And it was that leg injury that may now help him get out of jail.

A report by the Illinois Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission concluded there was no evidence the rod in Reed's leg was broken before the beating. Prosecutors maintain the rod could break during the healing process.

On Friday, they will go back to court and the judge will determine if Reed should be freed while awaiting his next trial. It’s something Shackelford is counting on just in time for a special day on Saturday.

“His birthday and he will be 55,” Shackelford said.