High court denies appeal

The Illinois Supreme Court has denied an appeal by a man who confessed to a murder that helped spur Illinois' death penalty debate. The court refused to hear a claim by Alstory Simon that his confession to a 1982 double murder in Chicago was coerced and that his lawyers were wrong to let him plead guilty. Simon's videotaped confession in 1999 led to the exoneration of Anthony Porter, who was within days of execution. Porter's case prompted then-Gov. George Ryan to call a halt to capital punishment, a moratorium that continues today. Simon pleaded guilty to the Aug. 14, 1982 murder of Jerry Hillard and Marilyn Green and in exchange got a 37-year sentence.