Man released from jail after being acquitted in 2016 slaying

BELLEVILLE, Ill. (AP) - A 22-year-old man has been released from jail after being acquitted of murder in southern Illinois.

The Belleville News-Democrat reports David Fields of East St. Louis was freed Wednesday, two days after a St. Clair County jury reached a verdict in the Dec. 30, 2016 shooting death of Carl Silas at a Belleville apartment.

Fields’ mother, Takeila Blackwell, said it was the “right verdict.” His first trial ended in July in a mistrial.

Fields’ case drew wider attention after the newspaper in 2017 reported jail visits between St. Clair County Judge Ron Duebbert and Fields , who lived with him for a period of time. The Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board filed a complaint in April accusing Duebbert of lying to investigators when they questioned him about Fields.

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Information from: Belleville News-Democrat, http://www.bnd.com