| First Name | Omar |
| Last Name | Saunders |
| Year of Conviction | 1988 |
| Year of Exoneration | 2001 |
| Testing inculpated culprit | Non-Cold Hit |
| State of Conviction | Illinois |
| Trial, Bench Trial, or Guilty Plea | Trial |
| Type of Crime | Rape and Murder |
| Death Sentence | No |
| Life / LWOP sentence | Life without parole |
| Gender of Exoneree | Male |
| Race of exoneree | Black |
| Juvenile | No |
| Description / Quotes from Testimony Concerning Defense | ● Defense argued that informant recanted testimony and that codefendant’s confession was unreliable |
| Did the defendant testify at trial? | No |
| Types of evidence at trial |
|
| Type of Forensic Evidence |
|
| Types of Flawed Forensics |
|
| Reason why invalid | (1), (2) Masking, Failure to exclude |
| Brief Quote / Description of Testimony | See L. Ollins, above. H blood group substances detected eliminated Saunders, who was a non-secretor. However, the analyst included co-defendants ignoring the problem of masking and non-quantification. As Dr. Edward Blake concluded in his report evaluating the case, the analyst “failed to state that her findings eliminated Larry and Calvin Ollins, Sa[u]nders, and Bradford unless there was another semen source who was an ABO type O secretor.” The analyst testified that questioned hair was “similar” or “could have” originated from defendant. |
| Jailhouse informant, Co-defendant, Incentivized Witness | IW, CD |
| Examples of Non-Public or Corroborated Facts and Inconsistencies | ● Non-public details in codefendant Paula Gray’s false confession, see False Confessions Appendix. ● Informant included non-public detail that victim was hit in the face with a brick |
| Quotes from testimony #3 | “Larry made a Rambo move to a white broad’s car” and Bradford “jumped in the driver’s seat when Calvin followed.” “Larry caught her and hit her in the face with a brick.” |
| Quotes regarding any deal or leniency with informant, or prior use of informant | Informant admitted he was familiar with this homicide before talking to police – and he had recanted to defense attorney in recorded conversation – but then took back the recantation at trial. He was paid more than $500 for relocation to Chicago’s South Side |
| Highest level reached | Appeal |
| Claims Raised During All Appeals and Postconviction |
|
| Citations to judicial opinions | People v. Saunders, 603 N.E.2d 32 (Ill. App. 1 Dist. 1992) |