Attorneys from the Exoneration Project accused the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office of allowing police misconduct to continue. Their comments came as they celebrated a judge’s decision to overturn the 50th conviction linked to former Chicago Police Detective Reynaldo Guevara, who has been accused of forcing false confessions and identifications.
The ruling freed Tyrece Williams from a wrongful conviction for the 1990 murder of 15-year-old Peter Cruz. Williams had already served his full 20-year sentence but maintained his innocence for decades. Judge Carol Howard vacated his conviction, citing the lack of physical evidence and the new testimony of a witness who said he was forced to falsely identify Williams.
Wilfredo Torres, the key witness, told the court that Detective Guevara beat and threatened him as a teenager until he falsely identified Williams as the shooter. In a recent affidavit, Torres admitted he was scared and did what the police demanded to avoid being wrongly convicted himself. During a videotaped deposition, Guevara refused to answer questions and repeatedly invoked his right against self-incrimination, as he has done in many similar cases.
Guevara has been accused of using threats and violence to manipulate witnesses, leading to wrongful convictions in at least 50 cases. Despite these allegations, he has never been criminally charged and retired in 2005.
Williams expressed mixed emotions about the ruling, saying it was painful to relive the past but satisfying to finally clear his name. He acknowledged that both he and Torres were young at the time and were victims of a corrupt system.
The current Cook County State’s Attorney, Eileen O’Neill Burke, has faced criticism for continuing to challenge wrongful conviction cases. Assistant State’s Attorney Linda Walls, who oversees innocence case reviews, warned that Torres could face perjury charges for changing his testimony. Torres’ attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, accused the state’s attorney’s office of intimidating witnesses to prevent them from recanting false testimonies.
Judge Howard’s decision is part of an ongoing effort to address wrongful convictions linked to Guevara. Former State’s Attorney Kim Foxx prioritized reviewing such cases, leading to multiple exonerations. However, attorneys representing wrongfully convicted individuals are concerned that the new administration may not be as committed to justice.
Following the ruling, Burke’s office stated that the decision to contest Williams’ case was made under the previous administration. They are now reviewing their next steps in response to the judge’s ruling.
