Victories

FEATURED VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS

Adams et al. v. Vanick
▸    $36,000,000 award against Cook County sheriff’s police who framed four innocent African American men – Kenny Adams, Dennis Williams, Verneal Jimerson and Willie Raines (the Ford Heights Four), sending two to death row, by suppressing evidence which exonerated them. This is the largest settlement of its kind to date.

Mayes v. City of Hammond
▸    $9,000,000 jury verdict on behalf of Larry Mayes, who was wrongfully convicted of  rape and kidnaping in 1981 and served 19 years in prison.

Miller v. City of Chicago
▸    $6,300,000 settlement for Jerry Miller who was falsely convicted of rape and kidnaping and was wrongfully imprisoned.

Vodak v. City of Chicago
▸    $6,200,000 plus attorneys’ fees settlement for protestors falsely arrested during a demonstration in March 2003 against the Iraq war.

Orange v. Burge
▸     $6,000,000 settlement for Leroy Orange in a wrongful conviction case against members of the Chicago Police Department, including a Commander, the City of Chicago, and a Cook County State’s Attorney based upon allegations that the officers tortured Orange into confessing to a crime he did not commit.

Tillman v. City of Chicago
▸     $5,975,000 settlement for Michael Tillman in a wrongful conviction case against members of the Chicago Police Department and the City of Chicago based upon allegations that he was tortured into confessing to a crime he did not commit.

Pierce v. Parsons
▸    $4,650,000 settlement against police who killed four Black people and brutally beat and tortured several others – believed to be the largest settlement in a police violence case at that time.

Smith v. Pfeil
▸    $4,000,000 jury verdict for former Attica prisoner Frank “Big Black” Smith, one of the victims of torture by state police, prison guards, and officials after the retaking of Attica Prison in 1971.

Buckley v. County of DuPage
▸    $3,500,000 settlement for three wrongfully convicted prisoners, Rolando Cruz, Alex Hernandez and Stephen Buckley.

Terry v. City of Chicago
▸    $2,700,000 settlement for Paul Terry, falsely convicted of murder and rape, who was subsequently pardoned after DNA established he was not the perpetrator.

Steidl v. City of Paris, et al.
▸     $2,500,000 partial settlement against Illinois State Police Defendants only, in wrongful conviction case where Plaintiff spent 17 years in prison, 12 of which were on death row.

Jones v. Markham
▸    $2,200,000 settlement in malicious prosecution and false imprisonment lawsuit on behalf of Ronald Jones, who served 14 years in prison, 8 on death row, before he was absolved by DNA evidence and pardoned based on innocence.

Mother and Father v. Cassidy
▸    $2,000,000 settlement in the false arrest and malicious prosecution of a 7 year old boy who was falsely accused of the sexual assault and murder of 11 year old Ryan Harris, and who was later absolved when the DNA matched a known adult pedophile.

Hampton v. Hanrahan
▸    $1,850,000 settlement in 1983, the largest total civil rights settlement at that time, in a wrongful death and conspiracy case seeking justice on behalf of Black Panthers Fred Hampton and Mark Clark and the survivors of the 1969 police raid on their apartment.

Jones v. City of Chicago
▸    $1,400,000 recovery for the false arrest, imprisonment and prosecution of George Jones – the case which first exposed the Chicago Police Department “street files” policy of hiding evidence which helped criminal defendants – in a case which included a punitive award against high ranking police officials and damages against the City for its unconstitutional “street files” policy and practice.

Castillo v. Zuniga and Paulnitsky
▸    $1,200,000 settlement in 2004 in denial of a fair trial and malicious prosecution lawsuit on behalf of Miguel Castillo who served 11 years in prison before his conviction was vacated and he was pardoned on the basis of innocence.

Wilson v. City of Chicago
▸    $1,100,000 in judgments and attorneys fees in the Andrew Wilson police torture case.

Click here for more information on our other Notable Settlements and Verdicts

Click here for more information on our Legal Victories