Confessed Killer Denied Bail

A Milwaukee man, whose videotaped murder confession led to the release of a death row inmate, was ordered held without bond Monday.

Alstory Simon, whose videotaped confession led to the release of Death Row inmate Anthony Porter, appeared Monday before Cook County Circuit Court Judge Nicholas Ford, who denied his bond request.

After his voluntary surrender to police Sunday, Simon was formally charged with the killings of two Chicago teenagers.

Simon's estranged wife, Inez Jackson, also surrendered Sunday and was charged with obstruction of justice for keeping her husband's role in the slayings a secret.

Simon's confession brought freedom last Friday to Porter, who has spent nearly 17 years behind bars for the same killings. Last September, Porter was within two days of being executed when the Illinois Supreme Court agreed to review his case.

On Sunday, Porter celebrated his new-found freedom by attending church services with his family.

CBS News Correspondent Cynthia Bowers reports that Porter is the tenth death row inmate to be exonerated since Illinois reinstated capital punishment. Despite that, Chicago mayor Richard Daley - who was the state's attorney when Porter was convicted - says there is no need for the law to be changed.

But Northwestern University professor David Protess, who supervised the team of volunteer investigators and student sleuths who broke the case, disagrees.

According to Protess, "What this state needs is a moratorium on the death penalty. . .and this case is conclusive proof of that."

After the shootings, Simon fled Chicago with his wife Inez, who witnessed the killings and now corroborates his story. Simon made his belated confession after seeing a report on CBS News This Morning about Porter's case.