Chicago man who served over 30 years for a murder he didn't commit finds new life in theatre
A man who served more than three decades in prison for a crime he did not commit finally feels vindicated and validated.
The same court that convicted Brian Beals officially cleared his name. Now a free man, he is already giving back to his community in a creative way.
For more than three decades, Beals rehearsed in his mind the moments he is now experiencing. He now directs young men and women on stage in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood.
"Excited. You know, this is like the dream," he said. "You know, started doing theatre in prison. We were filling up the prison theatre."
More than 35 years ago, Beals was wrongfully cast as a criminal. He was charged, convicted, and sentenced to 85 years in prison in the Nov. 16, 1988, murder of a 6-year-old boy named Demetrius Campbell on West 60th Street in Englewood.
At the time, Beals was a 22-year-old student at Southern Illinois University.
But Beals maintained his innocence.
"The entire time," he said.
In prison, Beals found theatre — which helped him stay positive as time passed.
"Slowly, hard, harshly — emotionally, a lot of loss," he said.
The Illinois Innocence Project took up Beals' case, and helped overturn his conviction. He was released and reunited with family on Dec. 12, 2023.
Beals fought 35 years for his freedom and earned it a year and a half ago, but that feeling of validation is still brand-new.
"I'm still processing," Beals said, "but it feels good to have the state behind me."
The system that stole years from Beals' life gave back the only thing it could.
"His name, in other words, was not cleared until yesterday — when he received a certificate of innocence, which clears his name officially," said attorney Brian Eldridge. "It is a proclamation."
Attorney Eldridge is in awe of his client.
"And it's been just a privilege and an honor to represent him," said Eldridge.
Beals now runs the Mud Theatre Project in Englewood. It is so named, according to the project's website, because "for many of us from underresourced communities, mud was our first toy. It's what sparked our creativity. Now, as we journey through life, we get our stories out the mud."
Beals is no longer rehearsing — but instead just living the next act of life.
"I'm still writing my story," he said. "We're just getting started."
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