In the summer of 1985, the folks in the small town of Gillespie, Illinois were shaken to their core when 16-year-old Bridget Drobney was found brutally murdered.

Three men were arrested and one, Robert Turner was sentenced to death. In January of 2003, Governor Ryan commuted all 167 of Illinois’ death row inmates to life sentences. One of those was obviously, Robert Turner. Years later, In March of 2011, Governor Pat Quinn would abolish the death penalty in the state of Illinois altogether.

In June of 2022, Turner was able to get a clemency hearing with the help of the Illinois Prison Project. The Illinois Prison Project fights for people serving “unjust, unnecessary and excessive” sentences in Illinois. If you visit their website, it says in big letters they are fighting a “system that treats people as disposable.” And while there are certainly many innocent people serving sentences in Illinois that are serving especially excessive sentences, the Drobney family feels that Robert Turner is not one of them.

Please listen to Jen & Cam as they talk about Bridget Drobney's murder and if you are like us and the Drobney family and feel that Robert Turner does not deserve clemency,
please make your voice heard.

Contact Jennifer Soble, Executive Director of Prison Release Board. Her email is PRB.Clemency@Illinois.Gov The family asks that you state that it is regarding Robert Turner IDOC No N66184.

Special thanks to Paula Lucca for talking with us about Bridget.

Thanks to the OTCP team
Listener Discretion by Edward @OctoberpodVHS. You can find him on all your podcast apps or at https://www.youtube.com/c/octoberpodhomevideo

Producer and theme music by Nico Vettese
wetalkofdreams.com

Researched and written by Rett MacPherson

Sources:
https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Moreth-seeks-death-penalty-for-Turner-in-1989-12649227.php
https://www.newspapers.com/image/388401459
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-07-20-8502170328-story.html
https://apnews.com/article/f6356cf8684ba9bcba0391753f1f045b
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1986/04/10/Accused-killer-says-it-was-just-a-joke/5931513493200/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/388339586/?terms=Bridget%20Drobney&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/388339586/?terms=Bridget%20Drobney&match=1
https://www.leagle.com/decision/1989668128ill2d5401642?fbclid=IwAR1P1--T0vtd-v_yjxhJr7COcEKYK40oTJ_BL9XAttATBySn8UA72Y6x_5c
https://www.newspapers.com/image/388358006/?terms=Bridget%20Drobney&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/388544507/?terms=Bridget%20Drobney&match=1
https://law.justia.com/cases/illinois/supreme-court/1993/71162-7.html
https://apnews.com/article/f6356cf8684ba9bcba0391753f1f045b
https://casetext.com/case/people-v-hines-210
https://www.audacy.com/wbbm780/news/local/man-gets-clemency-hearing-for-85-murder-of-bridget-drobney
https://wlds.com/victims-family-complaints-delay-clemency-hearing-for-convicted-murderer-from-1980s-macoupin-county-slaying/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/388401510
https://www.newspapers.com/image/388427138
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Downers+Grove,+IL/@41.9048888,-88.1574183,10.5z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x880e5174f031d539:0x1de1b9b6ac3938a!8m2!3d41.8089191!4d-88.0111746
https://www.wunderground.com/history/daily/us/mo/st.-louis/KSTL/date/1985-7-14
https://www.newspapers.com/image/767079993/?terms=Bridget%20Drobney&match=1
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/112004504/bridget-margaret-drobney
https://www.newspapers.com/image/231455238/?terms=Drobney%20clemency%20Robert%20Turner&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/140991101/?terms=Bridget%20Drobney%20murder&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/388659798/?terms=Bridget%20Drobney%20murder&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/140970367/?terms=Bridget%20Drobney%20murder&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/140970367/?terms=Bridget%20Drobney%20murder&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/770629655/?terms=Bridget%20Drobney%20murder&match=1
https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/5914c0d5add7b049347b6163
https://www.newspapers.com/image/770764062/?terms=Michael%20Turner%20testimony%20Drobney&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/388753545/?terms=Michael%20Turner%20testimony%20Drobney&match=1
https://www.illinoisprisonproject.org/