Norman McIntosh

A jury found Norman McIntosh guilty of the 2001 murder of Devon Hobson after three eyewitnesses identified him as the shooter. He was sentenced to 45 years imprisonment. Before he was sentenced, McIntosh told Judge Clay, “Now that it is over … I did really want you to know I really didn't kill them. I don't even know them…. The police officer have a reason to hate me. He told me he was going to get me one day. I didn't think it was going to be this bad, but I guess so. I just really want you to know after it was over that I really didn't shoot them people.”

Since that day, McIntosh fought to prove his innocence. It took almost 15 years for him to prove it, but the Cook County State’s Attorney eventually acknowledged the truth of what McIntosh told the judge over a decade ago.

Jennifer Blagg began her representation of Norman McIntosh in 2010. When she first appeared, McIntosh had filed a pro se post conviction petition arguing his actual innocence. He supported that argument with an affidavit from the victim’s brother. Later, Blagg obtained an affidavit from the brother. He not only recanted his prior identification of McIntosh as the perpetrator, but he also provided the name of the man that he believed actually shot him and killed his brother. Blagg later located the remaining two eyewitnesses, who were 12 at the time Hobson was shot. Both recanted and provided consistent statements as to why they falsely identified McIntosh. Subsequently, Blagg asked for the perpetrator’s fingerprints be compared to prints found on items the perpetrator owned. McIntosh’s prints were not there and the alternate suspect’s were. Blagg also proved that the alternate suspect drove a vehicle matching the eyewitnesses’ description of the shooter’s car, while her client did not. She also proved that the alternate suspect’s vehicle was destroyed days after her client was falsely accused of the victim’s murder.

Based on this evidence, along with other evidence of police misconduct, Blagg filed an amended post conviction petition. After the Conviction Integrity Unit declined to exonerate McIntosh, Blagg filed a 2-1401 petition and demanded the prosecution answer within 30 days. Subsequently, the Cook County State’s Attorney re-opened the investigation. After Blagg presented the case to the Chief Deputy, the office agreed that McIntosh’s conviction lacked integrity and dismissed all charges. Blagg paired with Loevy and Loevy to file McIntosh’s civil lawsuit, which is pending at this time.

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