SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD â A majority of the Illinois Supreme Court decided Thursday that the state law governing certificates of innocence only requires exonerated individuals to prove their innocence for the criminal offense with which they were initially charged. The courtâs decision means that an exonerated person who seeks a certificate of innocence does not have to prove their innocence in âevery conceivable theory of criminal liability for that offense.â Palmer was charged in the August 1998 death of William Helmbacher in Decatur. Helmbacher reported a burglary at his apartment on Aug. 26, 1998, and he was found dead in his apartment one day later.