The city of Chicago agreed to pay $5.5 million in another wrongful imprisonment settlement involving former Chicago Police Detective Reynaldo Guevara.
The settlement was reached the same day seven more men filed petitions accusing Guevara of framing them for crimes they did not commit. At least 44 murder convictions investigated by Guevara have been overturned.
According to the Exoneration Project, the seven men filing petitions are:
- Jayson Aguiar, served 20 years in prison
- David Kruger, served 14 years in prison
- Juan Molina, served 12.5 years in prison
- Edwin Ortiz, served 25 years in prison
- Oscar Soto, served 3 years in prison
- Victor Vera, served 19 years in prison
- Tyrece Williams, served 20 years in prison
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“My Mom always said I was innocent and she passed away while I was in prison,” Tyrece Williams said. “I did 20 years for something I didn’t do and I want to thank my legal team for taking the case.”
On Wednesday, the Exoneration Project filed petitions to overturn the conviction of Williams and six other men – each imprisoned by former Chicago Police Detective Reynaldo Guevara.
“I was incarcerated 20 years for a murder I didn’t do. I was framed by Detective Guevara,” Edwin Ortiz said. “I was 15 years old. I never graduated high school. I didn’t get to go to prom. There were a lot of things I didn’t get to do as a child.”
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All seven men already served their prison sentences, but they are asking a judge to formally exonerate them. That would clear their record and make it easier to find a job and a place to live.
“Simple things like housing, how people look at you, how they accept you. I mean, they don’t,” Ortiz said.
All seven of the men who filed petitions to overturn their convictions on Wednesday each received a court date in the next few months.
“These are individuals who have been fighting for a really, really, really long time and we just couldn’t wait any longer, so we brought them all together,” Josh Tepfer, an attorney for the Exoneration Project said. “People kept falling through the cracks. I mean, obviously everyone wants to prioritize the people who are still in prison.”
On Wednesday, Chicago City Council approved a settlement for Ricardo Rodriguez, who served 22 years in prison before his exoneration.
Rodriguez has since been charged with a 2018 home invasion and kidnapping and has a court hearing on April 11.
