City of Elkhart to pay man nearly $12 million for wrongful conviction of 2002 murder
The city of Elkhart will pay nearly $12 million to Andrew Royer.
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The city of Elkhart will pay nearly $12 million to Andrew Royer.
Andrew Royer was wrongfully convicted of murder in 2002 and was exonerated in 2021.
Francisco Benitez claims two former detectives coerced him into a false confession, and also coerced two witnesses into falsely implicating him.
James Soto, 62, and David Ayala, 60 were wrongfully convicted in two 1981 murders and were expected to be released on Thursday.
Two cousins who have been incarcerated for more than 40 years were expected to be freed after a judge exonerated them on Thursday for two 1981 murders. CBS 2's Shardaa Gray went to the Cook County Jail, where one of the men was set to be released.
Two cousins who have been incarcerated for more than 40 years were expected to be freed after a judge exonerated them on Thursday for two 1981 murders. CBS 2's Shardaa Gray went to the Cook County Jail, where one of the men was set to be released. After the judge exonerated James Soto, 62, and David Ayala, 60, there were tears of joy from family members.
"Relief, happiness, it was just amazing to walk out of there," Brian Beals said after he was released from prison. "I'm ready to begin life again."
"I just want to thank everybody for not only giving me a second chance but not treating me like a criminal."
Massive payouts were given to avoid litigation because of the wrongdoing of police officers decades ago.
The City of Chicago has forked over tens of millions of dollars in recent years to people wrongfully convicted because of actions by Chicago police. Members of the City Council have asked whether the police officers involved in these cases are still getting their city pensions
Nicholas Trutenko and Andrew Horvat are charged in connection with the wrongful prosecution of Jackie Wilson.
"Chicago is the wrongfully convicted capital of the United States. So, we need to stop being that."
"This is a classic frame-up case the Chicago Police Department has perpetrated against a number of people."
Lee Harris said he lost 33 years he can't get back, but through his lawsuit he can make sure someone else doesn't lose that kind of time.
Francisco Benitez, 52, claimed Chicago police framed him. In August, his murder conviction was tossed out by a judge.
The city will be on the line for $20 million, and its insurance company will be responsible for the other $5 million.
CBS 2's Chris Tye is always investigating and has more on the Monday debate over that very question by the city's finance committee.
"I always knew he was innocent. I just never believed it would take this long."
On Thursday, a judge overturned Louis Robinson's conviction for a 1996 murder.
Tyrone Hood and Wayne Washington were cleared of the 1993 slaying of Marshall Morgan Jr. only after both had already spent years in prison.
We uncovered Washington's story last year, when he took his fight for his innocence all the way to the Illinois Supreme Court.
David Wright was just 17 years old when he says Chicago police detectives forced him to confess to the murder of his friends, 16-year-old Tyrone Rockett and 26-year-old Robert Smith, in 1994.
Reginald Henderson and Sean Tyler both spent more than 20 years in prison for a murder they did not commit.
Two brothers who were exonerated for a murder they did not commit after spending nearly 30 years in prison will try again on Thursday to get an official certificate of innocence.
Two brothers will learn on Monday if they will be given a certificate of innocence, after being exonerated for a murder they did not commit.
You might drive on part of the 77-mile stretch of Interstate 90 known as the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, but do you know the story of the woman who it's named after?
People enjoyed Friday's warm weather while taking in an annual tradition provided by Mother Nature, as determined photographers sought to capture the perfect shot of "Chicagohenge" on the first day of spring.
Nathan MacKinnon had three assists in Colorado's 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, helping the Avalanche become the first NHL team to clinch a playoff spot this season.
The Fighting Illini are dreaming of a trip to the Sweet 16 after a dominating win Thursday night against Penn. Next up for No. 3-seeded Illinois is a showdown with No. 11 seed VCU on Saturday night.
For some, it's a hidden gem in the South Loop. For 20 years, an organization has been working to preserve the Second Presbyterian Church of Chicago.
Chicago's public safety plan is in flux after Mayor Brandon Johnson fired his deputy mayor of community safety, Garien Gatewood.
The first Marine Expeditionary Unit, which is coming from the Pacific, is still making its way toward the region.
More Democrats are openly running on faith, as progressive clergy and other religious candidates push back on the idea that Christianity belongs to the right.
The Trump administration argued that Harvard unlawfully discriminated against Jewish and Israeli students, in violation of federal civil rights law.
Mayor Brandon Johnson has fired Garien Gatewood, his first deputy mayor for public safety, a position Johnson created just days after taking office in 2023.
Tenants at a South Loop luxury high-rise that has been plagued with problems like broken elevators are vowing to fight five-day eviction notices.
It's become an annual March Madness tradition at CBS Chicago, pitting our city's best eateries in direct competition in a foodie bracket challenge. We did pizza, we've done Italian beef, we've done Chicago dogs. This year, we're taking flight with wings.
For Cook County residents hoping to lower their property tax bills, applications are open for exemptions.
Officials in the north Chicago suburb of Wilmette issued a warning Tuesday about scammers who are impersonating representatives of village departments.
The war with Iran is causing gas prices to surge, with motorists in Chicago and around the country guaranteed to feel the impact at the pump Monday morning.
A new Iowa law bans local nondiscrimination protections on the basis of gender identity after the state became the first in the U.S. to roll back its civil rights code last year.
Food containing norovirus may smell and taste normal but still cause serious illness if consumed, FDA warns.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday announced a $1.5 billion investment from biotherapeutics company CSL for a new plasma therapy manufacturing plant in Kanakee.
When a doctor was told there was no cure for his daughter's condition, he was motivated to transform not only her health, but the lives of thousands of others.
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital announced this week that it is planning to open a new pediatric hospital in the west Chicago suburb of Downers Grove.
Hundreds of workers were locked out of the BP refinery in Whiting, Indiana, on Thursday after contract negotiations failed to produce a deal ahead of a midnight deadline.
The artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency industries have suffered a setback as they try to reshape the midterm elections and establish themselves as power players in American politics.
Wednesday marked the last day to help celebrate Lou Malnati's pizzeria's 55th birthday with a special deal.
Despite a rash of restaurant closures, veterans of the plant-based food business pushed back against prophecies of doom — and in one case argued that such closures notwithstanding, plant-based eating is only growing.
Two popular Chicago craft breweries – Half Acre Beer Co. and Maplewood Brewery & Distillery – announced on Tuesday they are merging to create a new "premier Chicago beverage company."
Chuck Norris' family said his death at 86 was sudden, but did not share any details on the cause.
ABC has canceled its already filmed season of "The Bachelorette" starring Taylor Frankie Paul after video surfaced of a 2023 incident in which she was charged with assault.
Acclaimed Chicago bar and music venue The Hideout has been sold to a performer and former employee, but the owners said it will carry on as the same beloved place that visitors have always known.
Afroman spoke to CBS News after he won the case, which tested the limits of parody and the license artists can take in social commentary directed at public figures.
The late Sister Jean has been honored with T-shirts, socks, and bobbleheads — and now her spirit lives on with a new documentary.
Chief meteorologist Albert Ramon has the latest First Alert Weather forecast.
You might drive on part of the 77-mile stretch of Interstate 90 known as the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, but do you know the story of the woman who it's named after?
People enjoyed Friday's warm weather while taking in an annual tradition provided by Mother Nature, as determined photographers sought to capture the perfect shot of "Chicagohenge" on the first day of spring.
A Chicago man is charged with murder and arson in the death of Chicago firefighter Michael Altman, who died after he was injured while battling a blaze in a four-story apartment building in Rogers Park.
The Fighting Illini are dreaming of a trip to the Sweet 16 after a dominating win Thursday night against Penn. Next up for No. 3-seeded Illinois is a showdown with No. 11 seed VCU on Saturday night.
A Chicago man is charged with murder and arson in the death of Chicago firefighter Michael Altman.
As Chicago police continue to search for who shot Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman, her family visited the Rogers Park pier where she was killed.
Police in Barcelona said the death of Jimmy Gracey, a University of Alabama student from Illinois who went missing on vacation, was likely an accident.
You might drive on part of the 77-mile stretch of Interstate 90 known as the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, but do you know the story of the woman who it's named after?
People enjoyed Friday's warm weather while taking in an annual tradition provided by Mother Nature, as determined photographers sought to capture the perfect shot of "Chicagohenge" on the first day of spring.
United Steel Workers union representatives said that some workers had already had their access cards deactivated.
Have you ever walked into a business with no employees? You may soon; autonomous businesses are becoming more popular.
Streets were left pooled with rainwater, and homes flooded after Sunday night's storms. Residents say there is one clear solution
Attorneys for the family of a woman killed in a crash during a high-speed police chase in 2017 say officers involved failed to activate their body cameras or turned them off during the pursuit.
A new specialized unit is being created to prosecute domestic violence homicides in Cook County, as these killings surged 15% last year, even as overall violent crime declined across Chicago.
Nathan MacKinnon had three assists in Colorado's 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, helping the Avalanche become the first NHL team to clinch a playoff spot this season.
The Fighting Illini are dreaming of a trip to the Sweet 16 after a dominating win Thursday night against Penn. Next up for No. 3-seeded Illinois is a showdown with No. 11 seed VCU on Saturday night.
David Mirkovic had 29 points and 17 rebounds, and No. 3 seed Illinois dominated No. 14 seed Penn 105-70 on Thursday night in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Connor Bedard scored a goal and defenseman Alex Vlasic made a game-saving stop as time ran out as the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Minnesota Wild 2-1 to snap the NHL's longest active point streak for one team against another.
James Harden scored 36, Evan Mobley added 26 points and 14 rebounds and Cleveland hung on to beat the Chicago Bulls 115-110 even though Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell missed the game because of a bruised left eye.
A man was charged Thursday after a long police chase that alternated between high and low speeds on interstates through Chicago's north suburbs the day before.
The man who attacked a synagogue in Michigan last week sent a photo of himself with the AR-style rifle he had during the attack to a family member in Lebanon, according to a U.S. official.
A man from Chicago's northwest suburbs stood charged Tuesday with leaving the scene of a crash and driving drunk, after authorities said he hit a pedestrian overnight near Barrington, Illinois.
A man stood charged Tuesday in two separate shootings that wounded a Chicago police sergeant and a 63-year-old woman in the Pullman and Roseland neighborhoods this past weekend.
Jurors delivered their verdict Monday in the trial of Kouri Richins, a Utah mother accused of murdering her husband and later publishing a children's book about grief.
