News

Illinois Supreme Court ruling revives Alan Beaman lawsuit

Posted February 08, 2019 6:00 am

The Associated Press

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The Illinois Supreme Court has revived the lawsuit a man exonerated of murder charges filed against the town of Normal and three former police officers.

The (Bloomington) Pantagraph reports the high court's Thursday ruling sends Alan Beaman's case back to 4th District Appellate Court in Springfield for more consideration of Beaman's claims against the investigators. The lawsuit alleges the town and officers conspired to frame Beaman.

The Illinois Supreme Court reversed Beaman's murder conviction in the 1993 strangulation death of his ex-girlfriend Jennifer Lockmiller. Beaman had served more than a decade in prison. The state later dismissed charges against him. He has received a certificate of innocence and a pardon.

Beaman attorney David Shapiro called Thursday's ruling "important precedent." Town attorneys have argued that letting jurors consider the accusations could set a negative precedent for police.

___

Information from: The Pantagraph, http://www.pantagraph.com

Article Comments

Article Categories
Content Providers Illinois News Region

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.