DNA drives wrongful conviction play in North Chicago murder

By Frank Abderholden fabderholden@stmedianetwork.com | @abderholden June 11, 2014 2:48PM

Marvin Williford, 43, of Chicago, who was convicted of murder in 2004 and sentenced to 80 years in prison.

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Updated: June 11, 2014 8:51PM

New technology for testing DNA is driving a wrongful conviction argument in the case of a brutal North Chicago home invasion that resulted in the death of a man after he was doused with gasoline and lit on fire.

Attorney David Owens, who works with the University of Chicago Exoneration Project, is seeking a new trial for Marvin Williford, 43, of Chicago, who was convicted in 2004 and sentenced to 80 years in prison. Williford has maintained his innocence and never confessed.

Were still a few steps away, Owens said this week after a hearing in Lake County Circuit Court. Williford has a status hearing scheduled for next week.

Owens is arguing that recent DNA testing of a two-by-four used in the attack on Jan. 22, 2000 does not link Williford to the crime.

According to prosecutors and Willifords trial, the attack involved three men with guns who went into the home of Delwin Foxworth, 42, in the 1800 block of 16th Street, and beat him while demanding money. When they didnt get any money, the attackers bound Foxworths hands with duct tape, poured gasoline on him and set him on fire.

Foxworth was able to extinguish the flames and made it to the home of a neighbor who called police.

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DNA drives wrongful conviction play in North Chicago murder