172. Flashing Red Light: The Bridget Drobney Murder

In the summer of 1985, the folks in the small town of Gillespie, Illinois were shaken to their core when 16-year-old Bridget Drobney was found brutally murdered.Three men were arrested and one, Robert Turner was sentenced to death. In January of 2003, Governor Ryan commuted all 167 of Illinois’ death row inmates to life sentences. One of those was obviously, Robert Turner. Years later, In March of 2011, Governor Pat Quinn would abolish the death penalty in the state of Illinois altogether. In June of 2022, Turner was able to get a clemency hearing with the help of the Illinois Prison Project. The Illinois Prison Project fights for people serving “unjust, unnecessary and excessive” sentences in Illinois. If you visit their website, it says in big letters they are fighting a “system that treats people as disposable.” And while there are certainly many innocent people serving sentences in Illinois that are serving especially excessive sentences, the Drobney family feels that Robert Turner is not one of them.Please listen to Jen & Cam as they talk about Bridget Drobney's murder and if you are like us and the Drobney family and feel that Robert Turner does not deserve clemency,please make your voice heard.Contact Jennifer Soble, Executive Director of Prison Release Board. Her email is PRB.Clemency@Illinois.Gov The family asks that you state that it is regarding Robert Turner IDOC No N66184.Special thanks to Paula Lucca for talking with us about Bridget.Thanks to the OTCP teamListener Discretion by Edward @OctoberpodVHS. You can find him on all your podcast apps or at https://www.youtube.com/c/octoberpodhomevideoProducer and theme music by Nico Vettesewetalkofdreams.comResearched and written by Rett MacPhersonSources:https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Moreth-seeks-death-penalty-for-Turner-in-1989-12649227.phphttps://www.newspapers.com/image/388401459https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-07-20-8502170328-story.htmlhttps://apnews.com/article/f6356cf8684ba9bcba0391753f1f045bhttps://www.upi.com/Archives/1986/04/10/Accused-killer-says-it-was-just-a-joke/5931513493200/https://www.newspapers.com/image/388339586/?terms=Bridget%20Drobney&match=1https://www.newspapers.com/image/388339586/?terms=Bridget%20Drobney&match=1https://www.leagle.com/decision/1989668128ill2d5401642?fbclid=IwAR1P1--T0vtd-v_yjxhJr7COcEKYK40oTJ_BL9XAttATBySn8UA72Y6x_5chttps://www.newspapers.com/image/388358006/?terms=Bridget%20Drobney&match=1https://www.newspapers.com/image/388544507/?terms=Bridget%20Drobney&match=1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices