Federal jury finds Chicago police framed man for 1988 murder, awards him more than $17 million

The Chicago Tribune reports:

A federal jury on Friday found in favor of a man who alleged that former Chicago police Detective Reynaldo Guevara and others framed him for a 1988 murder, awarding him $17.175 million.

The verdict marks one of the largest for misconduct by Chicago police.


The jury deliberated about nine hours over two days before finding against the city, Guevara and two other former police detectives — Steve Gawrys and Ed Mingey. A fourth ex-detective was cleared of wrongdoing.

In addition to awarding the $17 million in compensatory damages against the city, the jury ordered Guevara and the other two detectives to pay $175,000 in punitive damages out of their own pockets.

Jacques Rivera, who spent 21 years in prison for the slaying of 16-year-old Felix Valentin, shook and sobbed in U.S. District Judge Joan Gottschall’s courtroom as the verdict was announced.

Yet many progressives feel safer with only police officers owning handguns.