A mother's plea for justice

Gloria Driver is the mother of two sons and worked hard to provide for and raise them to become responsible adults. As a mother, she wanted to think of her children as perfect individuals, but knew they were not. "When they are wrong, I'll admit that they are wrong. When they are right, however, I'll go to my death fighting for them. I am asking for the one thing every mother wants for her child, no matter what her race-a fair chance at life. Both of my boys are now imprisoned. My oldest, Euka Wadlington, has suffered a terrible injustice.

The government's case at trial was based on the word of cooperating witnesses testifying in exchange for the promise or hope of leniency in connection with their own drug dealing. Euka Wadlington was no supplier of cocaine. No physical evidence or police surveillance connected Wadlington to any drug transaction or drug house.

According to trial transcripts, at the time of Euka's arrest in November of 1998, he was living on the south side of Chicago in a rented one-bedroom apartment with his fiancée, Latonya, her brother and her three children. Euka was working construction. Before that he worked for BFI Refuse Company as a driver, working from 6:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday and making 650 stops a day to collect garbage. His supervisor described Euka as a "good employee."

The Reverend Jesse Beauford testified at Euka's trial. He had owned a car wash that Euka leased for a few years. The minister had an office across the street from the car wash and had opportunity to observe Euka every day washing cars. He never saw any drug activity at the car wash.

Eric Palmer, a freshman at Daley College at the time of trial, worked for Euka at the car wash for over a year. Eric testified that Euka was at the car wash most of the time and helped wash cars when they were busy. He told the court that Euka was kind to employees and customers, and he did not sell drugs. He said that Euka never wore fancy clothes or jewelry. One year before Euka's trial, Eric had been shot during a dispute over a bicycle. Confined to a wheelchair, he still made the trip from Chicago to Davenport, Iowa to testify for his former employer, the one who washed cars beside him on busy days.

At sentencing, the amount of drugs attributed to Euka was based solely on the testimony of convicted or indicted persons. For example, there is George Harper who was already serving a 27-year sentence. He testified against Euka in exchange for the government's filing a motion to reduce his sentence. Harper figured Euka made about $450,000 from the cocaine that Harper sold but admitted he didn't know what Euka did with the money. He knew that Euka worked as a "garbage man" while he (George) didn't work at all.

"I took the stand at sentencing and testified that Euka worked hard at various jobs, but occasionally had to borrow money to pay the bills. I had to help pay for Euka's attorney by cashing in my pension and emptying my bank accounts. I put up my house for bond. My son owned no valuable property, and I pleaded with the Judge to look through the eyes of God for the truth."

The Judge sentenced Gloria's son, Euka Wadlington to two concurrent life terms in prison.