Trending...
- Expedition Money Launches "Woodland Cents" a 53-Book Children's Series That Teaches Kids About Money
- Commercial Manufacturing Validation Completed as November 10 FDA Milestone Approaches; Critical FDA Milestone Close: NRx Pharmaceuticals NAS DAQ: NRXP
- Heritage at South Brunswick Announces Special Townhome Mortgage Rate Buydown
CHICAGO — Mayor Brandon Johnson and Acting Corporation Counsel Renee Hatcher today announced another historic mass settlement resolving 16 police misconduct lawsuits against former Chicago Police Department (CPD) Detective Reynaldo Guevara brought by 17 individuals whose murder convictions were subsequently vacated. These Guevara-related lawsuits, with the earliest filed in 2018 and most recent filed in 2025, involve events that occurred as far back as 1987 and constituted a significant financial risk to the City's finances.
"It is vitally important to continue building upon this innovative approach, where warranted and appropriate, to resolve a grouping of reversed-conviction cases involving the same defendant—in a process recognizing both the importance of humane justice while safeguarding taxpayer dollars," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "While previous administrations turned a blind eye to these abuses and kicked the can down the road, we are confronting this challenge head on, meeting the obligation we have to bring some level of restitution to those who have been harmed and their families."
The settlement of these 16 cases, resolving allegations of misconduct from the 1980s and 1990s and totaling $260,814,000 will, following City Council approval, be paid over two years commencing in 2027. It will offer a pathway to closure, reducing the potential for adverse verdicts, lessening long-term legal expenses and easing fiscal uncertainty.
More on illi News
The plaintiffs—who've collectively spent 383.55 years in custody, both pre-and post-trial conviction—allege they were wrongfully convicted of murder based on misconduct by Reynaldo Guevara and other former and deceased CPD officers. All of these plaintiffs' convictions have been vacated and the charges against them dismissed.
"Bringing these cases to a responsible closure reflects the deliberative approach the Department of Law continues to take to inherited litigation, which includes carefully assessing the City's financial exposure, resolving the highest-risk, highest-value cases, and eliminating prolonged uncertainty for the City and the parties involved," said Acting Corporation Counsel Renee Hatcher. "Looking ahead, we will evaluate and build on what worked well in these matters to best serve the City and the taxpayer."
If City Council approves this Guevara-related mass settlement, together with the Watts Global Settlement, to date in 2026, the City's strategic efforts will have brought closure to 72% of all reversed-conviction matters.
The settlement is projected to save $300 to $400 million in potential exposure with trial verdicts, plaintiffs' attorneys fees, and defense costs.
More on illi News
"As City attorneys, we strive everyday and in every case to reach resolutions that best serve the taxpayer," said Jessica Felker, Deputy Corporation Counsel for Federal Claims Review and lead negotiator for the Guevara settlement. "This settlement achieves that goal."
Though the settlement does not cover all Guevara cases, it is a large step forward. Unlike the Watts litigation, each Guevara case involves murder investigations and has unique, complex fact patterns. Also, many more plaintiffs' firms are involved in the Guevara litigation. The 16 selected cases for this mass settlement involved one plaintiff's firm and were derived through many months of negotiation between the parties.
Through its reforms and federal consent decree compliance efforts, the Chicago Police Department has developed and updated its policies to better detect and prevent the type of misconduct alleged in these cases.
"Through our reform efforts, the Chicago Police Department has implemented guardrails to prevent the misconduct that undermines the lifesaving work our officers are doing in our communities each day," said Interim CPD Superintendent Fred Waller. "These cases are not representative of where we are today as a department. We have strengthened supervision, training and policy to hold ourselves accountable and continuously build trust within our communities."
"It is vitally important to continue building upon this innovative approach, where warranted and appropriate, to resolve a grouping of reversed-conviction cases involving the same defendant—in a process recognizing both the importance of humane justice while safeguarding taxpayer dollars," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "While previous administrations turned a blind eye to these abuses and kicked the can down the road, we are confronting this challenge head on, meeting the obligation we have to bring some level of restitution to those who have been harmed and their families."
The settlement of these 16 cases, resolving allegations of misconduct from the 1980s and 1990s and totaling $260,814,000 will, following City Council approval, be paid over two years commencing in 2027. It will offer a pathway to closure, reducing the potential for adverse verdicts, lessening long-term legal expenses and easing fiscal uncertainty.
More on illi News
- Legacy Admissions Solutions Becomes Legacy School Solutions
- WOWX labs Closes US$10 Million Founder-Led Growth Financing as WOWX.market Enters Scale Phase
- BESTBUYSTORE opens its dropshipping model to independent merchants
- America's Hometown Thanksgiving Parade in Plymouth, MA, on Saturday, November 21, 2026
- Navigating a Changing Market: How AIX Group Is Responding to a Challenging Year
The plaintiffs—who've collectively spent 383.55 years in custody, both pre-and post-trial conviction—allege they were wrongfully convicted of murder based on misconduct by Reynaldo Guevara and other former and deceased CPD officers. All of these plaintiffs' convictions have been vacated and the charges against them dismissed.
"Bringing these cases to a responsible closure reflects the deliberative approach the Department of Law continues to take to inherited litigation, which includes carefully assessing the City's financial exposure, resolving the highest-risk, highest-value cases, and eliminating prolonged uncertainty for the City and the parties involved," said Acting Corporation Counsel Renee Hatcher. "Looking ahead, we will evaluate and build on what worked well in these matters to best serve the City and the taxpayer."
If City Council approves this Guevara-related mass settlement, together with the Watts Global Settlement, to date in 2026, the City's strategic efforts will have brought closure to 72% of all reversed-conviction matters.
The settlement is projected to save $300 to $400 million in potential exposure with trial verdicts, plaintiffs' attorneys fees, and defense costs.
More on illi News
- 450 Million Revenue Run Rate, Global Telecom Reach and a New Digital Growth Opportunity Take Center Stage: IQSTEL, Inc. (N A S D A Q: IQST)
- Wave Helicopters Takes FLIBS 2026 to New Heights
- Canada's First Data Lakehouse Goes Global in Banking: Nabil Bank Becomes Nepal's First Bank to Implement a True Agentic Lakehouse Platform, DataNature
- Latin GRAMMY-Winning Cuban-American Conductor Dr Yalil Guerra to Lead Pepperdine's Oklahoma!
- Highsfield Showcases Earth Zoom Generator for Cinematic AI Videos
"As City attorneys, we strive everyday and in every case to reach resolutions that best serve the taxpayer," said Jessica Felker, Deputy Corporation Counsel for Federal Claims Review and lead negotiator for the Guevara settlement. "This settlement achieves that goal."
Though the settlement does not cover all Guevara cases, it is a large step forward. Unlike the Watts litigation, each Guevara case involves murder investigations and has unique, complex fact patterns. Also, many more plaintiffs' firms are involved in the Guevara litigation. The 16 selected cases for this mass settlement involved one plaintiff's firm and were derived through many months of negotiation between the parties.
Through its reforms and federal consent decree compliance efforts, the Chicago Police Department has developed and updated its policies to better detect and prevent the type of misconduct alleged in these cases.
"Through our reform efforts, the Chicago Police Department has implemented guardrails to prevent the misconduct that undermines the lifesaving work our officers are doing in our communities each day," said Interim CPD Superintendent Fred Waller. "These cases are not representative of where we are today as a department. We have strengthened supervision, training and policy to hold ourselves accountable and continuously build trust within our communities."
0 Comments
Latest on illi News
- New England Consulting Partners Celebrates 25 Years of Turnaround Management Solutions
- Tickeron Launches AI Robots Hitting 97% Return for Retail Investors (NVDA, USAR, MRVL, TECL, BTDR)
- RAS AP Consulting Releases Educational Resource to Help Organizations Prepare for IRS FIRE-to-IRIS Transition
- Roots, Rhythm & Joy Invites Neighbors to Find Community Through Music
- Former Goddard Enterprises Managing Director Anthony Ali Joins STS Capital Partners as Managing Director and Partner
- Heritage at Manalapan Announces Limited-Time Mortgage Rate Buydown on Select Quick Move-In Homes
- Naperville Police Investigate Fatal Single Vehicle Traffic Crash
- Good Organics Now at Pop Up Grocer NYC With October 30 Sampling Event
- KeysCaribbean Announces Temporarily Reduced Rates At Village at Hawks Cay Villas
- Commercial Manufacturing Validation Completed as November 10 FDA Milestone Approaches; Critical FDA Milestone Close: NRx Pharmaceuticals NAS DAQ: NRXP
- Electives Launches "Electives for Everyone," Making Live Expert-Led Learning Available to Every Employee
- Trendy Promo Shares Quantity Planning Advice to Help Businesses Cut Leftover Swag
- Tax Tops the List as Wealthy Brits Plan Their Exit, La Vida Survey Finds
- "The Tree of Cinema" Installation Brought Film History and Its Audiences Together at TIFF 2026
- Trendy Promo Publishes Eco-Friendly Tote Bag Comparison to Help Brands Choose Smarter
- Trendy Promo Highlights Client Appreciation Gift Guide Ahead of the 2026 Holiday Season
- Northeast Yellow Cargo Selects Birmingham Shuttlesworth for Launch Plan
- Detroit Lawyer Steals $600,000 Settlement Meant to Protect Child
- Expedition Money Launches "Woodland Cents" a 53-Book Children's Series That Teaches Kids About Money
- Heritage at South Brunswick Announces Special Townhome Mortgage Rate Buydown