Several days late and a dollar short.

The bizarre comment is alleged to be an attempt to dissuade further corruption indictments following the guilty verdict levied against Illinois’ Governor who had become a champion of the wrongfully imprisoned (some say out of guilt stemming from all of the bribes and shady dealings that he had been involved in, but that’s for another time).

Keith Fletcher, who had been on Death Row for more than twelve years, charged with the murder of a debutante named Cynthia Ramar, was released after Ramar turned up as an extra on the television show Hope and Faith where she portrayed an old, yet quirky acquaintance of star Kelly Rippa.

Ramar had evidently run away from home to break into show business, without telling her father, C. Moore Ramar, who immediately accused Fletcher of foul play, noting that he saw him looking at his daughter while he (Fletcher) cleaned the pool at their palatial estate.

Not able to afford a decent defense, Fletcher was convicted of the mythical murder and sentenced to death, despite a lack of evidence, and his assurances that he had no hand in the debutante's disappearance.

With Illinois already riddled with a number of lawsuits pertaining to wrongful imprisonment, coupled with the Governor’s recent troubles, Judge Andrew Demma tried to assuage Fletcher's anger at his release hearing by saying, "Psyche. I bet you thought we were gonna kill ya, huh? Maybe stick a needle in your arm? Nope…April Fools, buddy (throat clearing, and collar loosening)."

Obviously unimpressed by Demma's pathetic cover-up attempt, Fletcher stood motionless in the courtroom for a few moments, then started to tremble with psychotic rage before grabbing a bailiff's gun and attempting to shoot Judge Demma while shouting, "April Fools?!…April Fools?! It isn’t even April 1st and you come to me with that?! Twelve years I was in that hole…twelve years…son of a bitch, twelve years!"

Fletcher was immediately "put down" by other bailiffs present in the courtroom, the killing neatly covering up the shortcomings of the court system, and preventing any future litigation on behalf of Mr. Fletcher.