Angelo Rivera, who won a second trial for a 1985 murder but againwas found guilty, received 80 years in prison Wednesday, 20 more thanhis original sentence.
Criminal Court Judge Thomas Durkin stressed that the increase"was not out of vindictiveness," but was imposed because prisonguards had found four homemade knives in Rivera's cell.
Rivera's attorney contended that prison officials already hadpenalized his client for the weapons, making the longer sentenceunfair.
Rivera, 27, was convicted in 1985 of murdering Zelia Simmons,58, who was beaten to death after drinking with Rivera and two othermen. He was found guilty again last month.
Simmons' body was found in a North Side alley, but a trail ofblood led to the apartment of Richard Norman in the 1400 block ofWest Fletcher, according to prosecutors Neal Goodfriend and AdrienneMebane.
Norman, who is serving a life sentence for the murder, confessedthat he alone killed Simmons, the prosecutors said.
Despite the confession, Rivera was charged after a third man,Jeffrey Meger, testified that he saw Rivera hit Simmons with ahammer.
In 1990, a federal appeals court overturned Rivera's convictionand ordered a new trial because Norman's confession had been excludedat Rivera's trial.
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