This week we are discussing the wrongful convictions of Arthur Almendarez, John Galvan, and Francisco Nanez after a fire took place in an apartment complex in Chicago. 

Thank you to Ana Luria and Haley Gray for research assistance!

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Sources: 



Cahill, Justice Robert, “People V. Galvan”, Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, 1993 

Cahill, Justice Robert, “People v. Almendarez”, Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, 1994

Morgan, Justice James Byron, “United States of America ex. rel. …”, United States District Court, N.D. Illinois, Eastern Division, 1998

Sterba, Justice David P., “The People of the State of Illinois…”, The Appellate Court of Illinois, First Judicial District, 2012

Palmer, Justice Stuard, “The People of the State of Illinois…”, The Appellate Court of Illinois, First Judicial District, 2013

Connors, Justice Eileen M., “The People of the State of Illinois…”, Appellate Court of Illinois, First Judicial District, 2019

Connors, Justice Eileen M., “The People of the State of Illinois…”, Appellate Court of Illinois, First Judicial District, 2020

Possley, Maurice, “John Galvan”, The National Registry of Exonerations, 2022

Possley, Maurice, “Francisco Nanez”, The National Registry of Exonerations, 2022

Rasmussen, Aaron, “Discovery Show ‘MythBusters’...”, Investigation Discovery, retrieved 2023

Washburn, Kaitlin, “Four men convicted…”, Sun Times, 2022

Staff, “John Galvan, Arthur Almendarez, and…”, Innocence Project, 2022

Palmer, Justice, “People v. Nanez”, Appellate Court of Illinois, 2015

Donnell, Heather, “Francisco Nanez v. Victor Switski, et al…”, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 2023

Donnell, Heather, “John Galvan v. Victor Switski, et al…”, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 2023

Donnell, Heather, “Arthur Almendarez v. Victor Switski, et al…”, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 2023


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