Page 5 - ACTL Journal Win24

When I learned Fate’s fate, it was déjà vu all over again for me. In 1996, I agreed to represent pro bono Dennis Williams, one of the so-called Ford
Heights Four, the name ascribed to the four inno- cent men who had been convicted in 1978 of a sensational kidnap-rape-double murder close to that Chicago suburb. Two of the four defendants had received life sentences; Dennis and another defendant were sentenced to death. I was Dennis’ eleventh lawyer. Most of them had represented him well, but a couple, well, Dennis had man- aged to avoid the gas chamber for eighteen years because some of his prior lawyers had done or failed to do something, a series of incompetencies egregious enough to win him stays and new trials. I won’t waste your time with the details of the crime or the grounds that freed him or the proof of his innocence because that isn’t my point (if you’re curious, read the book), but I got to walk Dennis out of prison a free man. And no, that’s not my point. My point is that after we got Gerry Spence to take the civil case for wrongful convic- tion for the four men, and after Spence obtained a multi-million-dollar settlement for Dennis and his three friends, but before Dennis could spend a cent of it, he had a fatal heart attack.
Not so ho, ho, ho, huh?
Ah, but then there is Dr. Linda Olson. Read her story at p. 35. I won’t spoil Hilary Potashner’s beautifully written story by giving up the details here, but suffice it to say that Job had far fewer calamities visited upon him and with far less grace. Read the story. I dare you to tell me it isn’t uplift- ing. Read Cal Mayo’s heart-wrenching story (p. 79) about the death of his son and the resolve with which he and Car- oline have reacted. Read the story. I dare you, I dare you not to be moved.
Oh, and one more thing. I got a text today from one of my partners, asking me to call him. I’ve been retired from my firm for six years now; I haven’t been to our offices for years, and I haven’t seen or spoken to this guy for years. About ten years my junior, Terry handled his first ever witness in a high-profile post-conviction hearing in which I was lead counsel. We did other things together, and Terry went on to have a great career; he was our managing partner for many years. I called Terry. He said some nice things to me about the positive effect I had on him. Yeah me. Then he told me that he had inoperable cancer and an unlikely future. Oh, shit. But Terry didn’t reach out to me to whine. He had some plans for some things he wanted to do while he was still here, and wondered if I might help. Well, duh. I will help. But what a guy! He wasn’t looking for pity. He was looking to live his remaining life. To live it well.
Here’s the point. Carpe Diem, my friends, carpe diem. Live every day like it may be your last, because it just might. Life is fragile. But beautiful, if lived to the fullest.
There is an old Chinese proverb. The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.
If you have things not yet done, if you have a plan not yet put into motion, now is the time, the very best time. Go do it. Do it now.
No, wait. First, read this Issue. It’s a great one.
Bob Byman
WINTER 2024 JOURNAL 4