PDP Dancer Sentenced in Murder Trial
By Margaret Lyons in Arts & Entertainment on May 26, 2004 3:18PM
Former Poi Dog Pondering dancer Leratio Smith was sentenced to 60 years in prison yesterday for shooting and killing Tony Colon. The 1998 murder occurred during a robbery at Petes Sideline Bar on 3534 North Elston Avenue. Colon was 33 and left behind a wife and young daughter.
Smith was already incarcerated for an unrelated armed robbery, and even though he was awaiting a death penalty hearing and sentencing for the murder, he was paroled in January, as the Sun-Times puts it "apparently by mistake." Smith addressed the Colon family, maintaining his innocence but then noting you haven't walked my walk, you haven't lived my life.
According to the Illinois Coalition Against the Death Penalty, Smith and a co-defendant both signed confessions, but the interrogating officer, then-detective Jon Woodall is a convicted crooked cop. Woodall is serving 10 years in prison for stealing and selling cocaine as well as planting cocaine on suspects.
Let Chicagoist break it down:
1. Illinois Department of Corrections: Uh, dont let murderers out of jail. Seriously.
2. CPD: What is this, The Shield?
3. Poi Dog Pondering: You guys are still around? Youre having a busy little week, arent you.