Convicted murderer Ray E. Tate made a brief video appearance Wednesday morning in Clinton County Circuit Court as part of his ongoing effort to withdraw a guilty plea. The charges stem from his capture following the December 29, 2021 killing of Wayne County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Riley.
Tate, who fired his court-appointed attorney last month, represented himself during the Zoom hearing from Menard Penitentiary in Chester. When asked by Judge Douglas Gruenke about filing an amended motion, Tate said he needed more time, citing trouble accessing legal information and making copies at the prison. The judge granted the request and set a status hearing for October 29.
Tate previously pleaded guilty in Clinton County to aggravated kidnapping and firearms charges, receiving a 40-year prison sentence. He now claims he was coerced into entering that plea.
He is already serving a life sentence without parole for the December 2021 shooting death of Deputy Riley. Tate remains housed at Menard Correctional Center in Chester.
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