Mayor Brandon Johnson is recommending to aldermen another round of costly settlements for alleged police misconduct.

The mayor’s Law Department is proposing the City Council settle two wrongful conviction lawsuits for a total of $26.5 million. Aldermen have already approved this year over $300 million to settle police-related lawsuits, a historic amount that smashes past records.

Francisco Benitez, who spent over three decades in prison after he was convicted for killing two 14-year-old boys in 1989, would receive $18.5 million if aldermen approve the deal city attorneys reached.

Benitez maintained his innocence in the West Side double homicide after his conviction, citing an alibi and witness who identified different suspects. His murder conviction was overturned in August 2023.

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