CBA Record March-April 2025

former friend of Rayna’s, based on the tes timony of a jailhouse informant. Despite lack of any physical evidence or other direct linking of Tibbs to the crime, and his consistent claims of innocence, he was convicted in 2014. The judge sentenced Tibbs to 40 years in prison. Levin reveals that Tibbs’s conviction resulted from a combination of inadequate defense, pros ecutorial misconduct, and the exclusion of critical evidence that could have impli cated McCarty. Levin makes a compel ling case for these arguments. Levin concludes by addressing efforts to reinvestigate the case and find justice for Tibbs. The book’s narrative exposes some potential flaws in the criminal jus tice system. Levin makes the case for a confluence of bad facts and politics result ing in a miscarriage of justice, the convic tion of an innocent person while allowing the true perpetrator to evade justice. Based on the book and discussions with the author, the Notre Dame Law School Exoneration Clinic started inves tigating the case and have indicated to Levin that the clinic will potentially be handling Tibbs’s appeals. Submerged is well researched and makes the case for an exoneration of Jason Tibbs. Levin makes excellent arguments for why the truth in this case should not be submerged.

SUMMARY JUDGMENTS

REVIEWS, REVIEWS, REVIEWS!

I n 2004, Hillel Levin wrote When Cor ruption Was King with Robert Cooley about Cooley’s central role in the FBI investigation of mob influence on Chica go’s courts and political system and Cool ey’s role in taking down his colleagues and exposing the corruption. We reviewed that book in the CBA Record. Late last year, Levin reached out to me about his latest book, Submerged: How a Cold Case Condemned an Innocent Man to Hide a Family’s Darkest Secret. Levin is an excellent investigative journalist, writer, and editor—for The Nation, New York magazine, Metropolitan Detroit, Playboy, and Chicago magazine—and he digs deep on this case to assess the injustice he sees in the matter. The matter goes back 30 years and includes recent developments. The book has generated publicity and SUBMERGED: How a Cold Case Condemned an Innocent Man to Hide a Family’s Darkest Secret By Hillel Levin Crime Ink New York Reviewed by Daniel A. Cotter

renewed focus on the case. In March 1993, Rayna Rison disap peared after leaving her job at a local (LaPorte, IN) veterinary clinic. Her body was discovered submerged in a pond a month later. Foul play was suspected from the outset. Early investigation focused on Ray McCarty, Rayna’s brother-in-law, who had previously been indicted for molest ing and impregnating Rayna when she was just 12 years old (he plead guilty for that crime and received probation). His responses were inconsistent, and his wife appeared to change her story repeatedly. However, charges against McCarty were eventually dropped due to what Levin writes were political influences and pros ecutorial decisions. McCarty died while in prison on unrelated charges in 2018. In 2013, police arrested Jason Tibbs, a

Daniel A. Cotter is a member of Dickinson Wright, the 2024-25 President of the National Counsel of Bar Presidents, and a CBA Record Editorial Board member.

TRIAL ADVOCACY IN FAMILY LAW April 23, 2025 | 3:00 p.m.

$0 CLE-Advantage Plan | $95 Member | $185 Nonmember 2.75 IL MCLE Credit | Register at Learn.Chicagobar.org

This seminar will address the practice of effective and zealous trial advocacy in family law litigation cases. Intermediate to advanced trial advocacy skills will be demonstrated, but all skill levels are welcome. Speakers will include: Brendan J. Hammer, Hammer, Serna & Quinn, LLC; Colleen M. Breems, Beermann LLP (moderator); Lindsay A. Saylors, Kolias, P.C. (moderator); and Anna Aguilar, The Law Office of Erin M. Wilson, LLC (moderator).

CBA RECORD 39