Records cleared of exonerated ISU slaying suspect

BLOOMINGTON -- A central Illinois judge has expunged the court records of a Rockford man whose murder conviction was overturned after he spent a dozen years in prison.

Alan Beaman was convicted in 1995 and sentenced to 50 years in the death of Illinois State University student Jennifer Lockmiller. A high court threw the conviction out last year, saying prosecutors had violated Beaman's constitutional rights.

While a McLean County judge on Monday cleared the murder conviction from the books, he declined Beaman's request to have bond and other payments made following his arrest returned.

The judge did order the return of about $2,500 Beaman's family paid to get him released after his conviction was overturned.

Police say Lockmiller's murder case remains open.