Photo courtesy of the Cook County Jail.
Kevin Dugar was released from the Cook County Jail in Chicago after his twin brother, Karl Smith, confessed to the crime his twin served time for.
Dugar was convicted of murdering Antwan Carter in 2003 and wounding Ronnie Bolden on Chicago’s northside. Dugar’s twin brother wrote to him in jail and confessed to the murder in 2013 (Karl Smith had changed his name from Dugar and began using his mother’s maiden name).
Smith’s confession noted his guilt for not coming forward sooner. He also said he found God in prison and wasn’t strong enough to confess before.
“I have to get it off my chest before it kills me,” wrote Smith. “So I’ll just come clean and pray you can forgive me.”
Cook County prosecutors doubt Smith’s confession because he was already serving life in prison for a robbery in 2008. The home invasion resulted in the death of a six-year-old boy. A judge ruled
the confession unreliable in 2018, and Dugar remained in jail.However, the Court of Appeals disagreed with prosecutors and reversed the decision noting a jury may have handed down a different verdict had they had all the evidence.
“Kevin Dugar Spent 20 Years in Jail For a Murder He Didn’t Commit; Details on How He Was Released Once His Twin Brother Admitted He Was The One Who Pulled The Trigger (Video) bit.ly/3otKK0D.”
After bond was granted, an excited and overwhelmed Dugar exited the courtroom. Before he can go home, Dugar will have to live in a transitional housing facility and will not be allowed to leave for at least 90 days as a condition of his release.
Dugar’s lawyer Ron Safer is hopeful that the Cook County state’s attorney’s office won’t retry the case.
“This case is in a very different situation than it was 20 years ago,” said Safer. “Everybody knows much more about it.
The Cook County state’s attorney’s office has not commented on whether they will retry the case.