Micheail Ward, convicted in 2018 for the murder of 15-year-old Chicago honor student Hadiya Pendleton, will get a new trial. The Illinois Supreme Court upheld a 2023 appellate court ruling that overturned his conviction, citing issues with how police obtained Ward’s confession.
Pendleton was fatally shot in January 2013 at Harsh Park in the Kenwood neighborhood, just days after performing as a majorette at President Barack Obama’s second inauguration. Her death drew international attention and highlighted Chicago’s ongoing struggles with gun violence.
Ward’s confession was a key piece of evidence in his original trial, but the appellate court ruled it was improperly obtained. Ward’s attorney, Stephen L. Richards, argued that police violated his rights by using coercive interrogation tactics. “They’re not allowed to badger him or harass him,” Richards said. “They kept going back and back and back, and eventually he made a statement, but that violated his rights.”
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office criticized the appellate court’s decision.
“The CCSAO stands behind the prosecution of this case, and disagrees with the appellate court’s decision. We are reviewing all legal options, and ultimately will be guided by securing justice for Hadiya Pendleton, her friends who were hurt that day, and her family and loved ones who mourn her today.”
Ward’s new trial could begin within the next year. Without the confession, prosecutors must rely on witness testimony and statements from two of Ward’s acquaintances, who claimed he and a co-defendant picked them up in a getaway car after the shooting. However, no physical evidence, such as a murder weapon, directly links Ward to the crime.
During the first trial, witnesses gave conflicting accounts. One initially uncertain witness testified five years later that they were “100 percent, guaranteed” certain Ward was the shooter. Meanwhile, Ward’s lawyers have argued that the trial judge blocked expert testimony on false confessions and coercive interrogation techniques, which could have influenced the outcome.
Pendleton’s death remains a painful chapter in Chicago’s history. The shooting happened less than a mile from the Obamas’ Chicago home, and Michelle Obama attended Pendleton’s funeral. Weeks later, her parents, Cleo Cowley-Pendleton and Nathaniel Pendleton, sat with the first lady at the State of the Union address.
No date has been set for Ward’s retrial.
ABC 7 Chicago contributed to this report.
