Categories: U.S.

Illinois judge overturns double-murder conviction of Chicago man following 34 years of imprisonment

close Video

Fox News Flash top headlines for August 29

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what’s clicking on Foxnews.com.

A judge on Tuesday vacated the double-murder conviction of a Chicago man who has spent the last 34 years in prison for the shooting deaths of two 14-year-old boys.

Francisco Benitez, 52, maintained his innocence in a motion for post-conviction relief, saying he had an alibi for the April 28, 1989, slayings of Prudencio Cruz and William Sanchez and that he was being framed by Chicago police detectives.

Cook County Judge Sophia Atcherson made the ruling, citing evidence supporting Benitez’s innocence presented during a hearing earlier this year. She released Benitez on a personal recognizance bond with electronic monitoring.

JAMAICAN MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN PENNSYLVANIA COURT TO SWEEPSTAKES SCHEME THAT TARGETED ELDERLY AMERICANS

Francisco Benitez’s double-murder conviction has been overturned after a judge in Illinois ruled that evidence supported his innocence. (Fox News)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

However, Benitez still faces murder charges because prosecutors haven’t dropped the case.

“This has been a very, very long road, and I’m glad my son is coming home,” his mother, Betty Benitez, said.

“This is not normal,” said Joshua Tepfer, one of Benitez’s attorneys from the Exoneration Project, of the volume of overturned convictions in Cook County. “It’s an epidemic. It’s a human rights violation.”

Share

Recent Posts

5 tech terms every smartphone user should know

Technology shouldn't feel confusing or intimidating, especially when most of us are just trying to…

2 hours ago

Why parents may want to delay smartphones for kids

Parents everywhere wrestle with one big question. What is the right age to let a…

1 day ago

Harvard hit by new breach after phone phishing attack

Elite universities like Harvard, Princeton and Columbia spend fortunes on research, talent and digital infrastructure.…

2 days ago

Solar water platforms may solve a major air taxi hurdle

Air taxis keep gaining momentum, yet one challenge keeps resurfacing: many cities have few places…

2 days ago

Scammers target wireless customers in new phone scheme

A troubling message landed in our inbox, and it reveals a scam that many people…

3 days ago

When AI cheats: The hidden dangers of reward hacking

Artificial intelligence is becoming smarter and more powerful every day. But sometimes, instead of solving…

3 days ago