Cook County Prosecutors To Dismiss Drug Charges Against 15 Cases Connected To Corrupt Officer

Cook County Prosecutors To Dismiss Drug Charges Against 15 Cases Connected To Corrupt Officer

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Cook County prosecutors are agreeing to dismiss drug charges against 15 men who allege they were framed by a corrupt Chicago cop. Attorneys are calling it a mass exoneration and saying it’s the first in Cook County. All of the men were arrested by a crew led by former Chicago police Sergeant Ronald Watts. Watts went to federal prison in 2014 for stealing drug money.

Attorney Josh Tepfer is with the University of Chicago’s Exoneration Project. Over the past two years, he’s helped overturn 26 convictions tied to Sgt. Watts. He represented all 15 men at a court hearing Thursday, and joined All Things Considered host Melba Lara to explain what these 15 men say happened to them.