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Will new evidence mean new trial in 1988 murder-for-hire case?

More than three decades after authorities say he gunned down a Palatine Township woman in a murder-for-hire plot orchestrated by her husband, Ronald Kliner is trying again to win a new trial - and this time he has some heavyweight backing.

Kliner, 59, filed a motion in Cook County court last month seeking a new trial on murder charges stemming from the February 1988 slaying of Dana Rinaldi, who was shot five times in the head as she pleaded for her life outside her home.

A jury convicted the former Des Plaines man in 1996, and he was given the death penalty - a sentence commuted to life without parole by then-Gov. George Ryan in 2003.

The 41-page motion was filed for Kliner by the University of Chicago-based Exoneration Project, which has won freedom for dozens of previously convicted people since its founding. The motion argues there's new evidence that could clear Kliner if he were given another trial.

That new evidence includes: DNA results from the crime scene that fail to provide a physical link between Kliner and the murder; evidence casting doubt on the credibility of witnesses including Rinaldi's husband, who avoided a possible death sentence by testifying against Kliner; witnesses providing Kliner with an alibi at the time of the murder; and testimony connecting another man to the killing.

“He did not kill Dana Rinaldi and should not be in prison serving a life sentence for her killing - a sentence that only thanks to the mass commutation by former Gov. Ryan did not result in his death,” the motion states. “His conviction rests on false testimony from people with now-exposed reasons to lie.”

Tandra Simonton, spokeswoman for Cook County State's Attorney Kimberly Foxx, said the office could not comment on the pending case.

Kliner's motion for now is scheduled to go before a Cook County judge June 12 in Rolling Meadows for a status hearing.

Just a minor poisoning?

Can you pour nail polish remover into a toddler's milk without intending great bodily harm to the child?

A state appeals court answered that question with a resounding “no” this week, when it upheld the conviction and 9-year prison sentence for a Carol Stream woman who tried to poison her boyfriend's 17-month-old daughter.

Andrea Vazquez-Hernandez was found guilty of attempted aggravated battery to a child in 2017, after a judge found she poured about an inch of nail polish remover into the girl's sippy cup of milk to get back at her boyfriend, whom she suspected of cheating on her.

Vazquez-Hernandez, 40, didn't deny doing it, but claimed she didn't fully understand the danger and believed the girl would at worst suffer a stomach ache or diarrhea.

Her appeal argued that DuPage County prosecutors failed to prove she intended to do worse.

The appellate court, in a unanimous ruling Monday, said her claims are not credible.

“Even had she not been familiar with the bottle's specific contents, the (trial) court could and did reasonably infer that she knew that the ingredients were unfit for human consumption and designed for a purpose that implied great danger, especially to a 17-month-old child,” Justice Joseph E. Birkett wrote.

The child was taken to the emergency room but was not seriously hurt.

According to the Illinois Department of Corrections, Vazquez-Hernandez will be eligible for parole in September.

Viral threat

Arrestees are keeping their threats against police, firefighters and paramedics au courant.

At least twice in the last two weeks, we've seen cases in DuPage County of aggravated battery against police officers, in which the accused has told officers that they're infected with COVID-19 and are going to give it to them deliberately, by spitting on them.

The Drug Enforcement Administration's annual Prescription Drug Take Back Day, scheduled for April 25, has been called off. Round Lake Park Police

Take Back called off

Add this to the list of things COVID-19 has canceled: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, which was scheduled for Saturday, April 25.

On that day, police departments across the suburbs hold events to accept unwanted or expired prescription drugs, no questions asked. Authorities say it not only keeps potential contaminants out of landfills and sewer systems, but it also helps keep potentially dangerous and addictive drugs out of the wrong hands.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration recommends that those with unwanted prescriptions visit its website, www.dea.gov, to find a location you can visit to safely dispose them.

Senior (class) scam

In an effort to create some special moments and lasting memories amid their disrupted final weeks of high school, seniors across the country are taking to social media to share their portraits and name of their school along with the #ClassOf2020 hashtag.

While it seems like harmless fun, the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois says students might be unwittingly putting themselves at risk.

“Watch out, scammers or hackers who surf through social media sites will see these #ClassOf2020 posts and will now have the name of your high school and graduation year, which are common online security questions,” said Steve Bernas, the organization's president and CEO. “All it takes is an internet search to reveal more information about you, such as family members, your real name, birth date, or even where you live.”

To stay safe, the BBB recommends social media users check their security settings to see what they are sharing and with whom, and change security questions/settings if anything might have been inadvertently revealed to a wide audience.

Have a question, tip or comment? Email us at copsandcrime@dailyherald.com.

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