An appellate court in Illinois has reversed the murder conviction of former Northwestern University professor Wyndham Lathem, who had been found guilty in the 2017 stabbing death of his then-boyfriend, Trenton Cornell-Duranleau. Lathem's case garnered attention due to the gruesome nature of the crime and the allegations that it was part of a sexual fantasy. However, the conviction was overturned based on Lathem's Sixth Amendment rights having been violated when he was barred from speaking with his attorney during an overnight recess of his trial, CBS News Chicago reported.
Cook County Judge Charles Burns made a controversial decision during the trial when he instructed Lathem he could not communicate with his defense team over the overnight break while he was on the witness stand. The Illinois Appellate Court, comprised of Justices Sharon Johnson, David Navarro and Mary Mikva, ruled unanimously that this decision was unlawful, stating, "Due to the trial court's order forbidding a testifying defendant from consulting with his attorney during an overnight recess in violation of his right to counsel, and our crystal-clear and consistent precedent on this issue, we have no choice but to reverse and remand for a retrial," according to a statement obtained by CBS News Chicago.
The reversal of Lathem's conviction has cleared the path for a new trial, reshuffling the deck in a case that has already seen its share of twists and turns. Lathem had been serving a 53-year sentence for his role in the killing, where Cornell-Duranleau was stabbed nearly 70 times in a brutal attack that prosecutors described as a calculated sexual fantasy played out by Lathem and his co-defendant, Andrew Warren. Warren had earlier pleaded guilty and testified against Lathem in the original trial, as noted by ABC7 Chicago.
Adam Sheppard, Lathem's attorney, expressed satisfaction with the appellate decision, adding that "he case has been remanded back to the Circuit Court of Cook County. Dr. Latham won't be released. We have an opportunity to renew a motion to release him, but immediately, he'll be brought back, and we're at square one there. There may be a new trial," in a statement provided by ABC7 Chicago. Sheppard also mentioned Lathem has been a model prisoner while expressing optimism about defending the case should it proceed to a new trial. The family of Trent Cornell-Duranleau has not yet publically commented on the latest development.
