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Howard Morgan Spends First Sunday Out of Prison at Home Church

By Andrea V. Watson | January 19, 2015 9:56am | Updated on January 19, 2015 10:18am
 Howard Morgan was welcomed home by his church Sunday after his 40-year prison sentence for attempted murder was commuted. He was sentenced in April 2012.
Howard Morgan was welcomed home by his church Sunday after his 40-year prison sentence for attempted murder was commuted. He was sentenced in April 2012.
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DNAinfo/Andrea V. Watson

ENGLEWOOD — Howard Morgan, who was convicted of attempted murder for shooting at police but had his 40-year sentence commuted by outgoing Gov. Pat Quinn last week, was welcomed back Sunday to his South Side church at a special service.

Morgan, who was convicted in 2005, praised the support and encouragement of his family and church received while he was incarcerated.

“Any time I felt low, I just thought about my church, and what kept me was God’s word,” Morgan said.

Leaders of the Church of the Living God, 1738 W. Marquette Road, said God had answered their prayers.

In 2005, Morgan, a former Chicago police officer, was pulled over for driving down a one-way street in the wrong direction near 19th Street and Lawndale Avenue.

 Howard Morgan stands next to his wife Rosalind as church members welcome him home Sunday. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison in April 2012.
Howard Morgan stands next to his wife Rosalind as church members welcome him home Sunday. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison in April 2012.
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DNAinfo/Andrea V. Watson

A confrontation between Morgan and four police officers led to an exchange of gunfire, prosecutors said. Morgan was shot 28 times, 21 in the back. Three officers were wounded.

Police said Morgan fired first, but Morgan denied pulling his gun and said he was shot by officers who saw the weapon Morgan, a railroad detective, was carrying. He was acquitted of firing a weapon in 2007, but there was no verdict on a charge of attempted murder.

At a second trial, he was convicted of attempted murder.  In April of 2012, he was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Quinn did not say why he commuted Morgan's sentence, but Morgan's lawyers reportedly had argued their client was a victim of double jeopardy and that key evidence had been supressed. Various groups charging racism made Morgan's case a rallying cry.

Quinn's actions angered police. Chicago  Police Offficer John Wrigley, who was shot in the incident, told ABC7, "I was never asked any questions, never given the chance to give my side of the story or tell the facts of the case, the true facts of the case."

Wrigley said he didn't believe Quinn looked at the details of the case.

Morgan's wife, Rosalind, said the family is thankful her husband is back home, and now they are working with lawyers to reverse the conviction.

“He doesn’t deserve this,” she said. “We are praying for his pardon and for his name to be cleared.”

She encouraged people to help by visitng the www.FreeHowardMorgan.com website where they can sign the petition or offer a donation.

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