Chicago Police Officer Lowell Houser found guilty of second-degree murder

A Cook County judge Friday found veteran Chicago Police Officer Lowell Houser guilty of second-degree murder in the 2017 off-duty shooting of 37-year-old Jose Nieves.

Judge William Gamboney's ruling comes nearly two months after closing arguments in a three-day bench trial.

In making his ruling, Gamboney stated that evidence at the murder trial supported Houser's claim that he shot Nieves in self-defense, but that the 60-year-old officer's decision to open fire was unreasonable.

"The court does not find that Houser was justified in the use of deadly force," Gamboney said, reading from a written order.

"Even though Nieves may have been aggressive, the evidence suggests he was ready for a fistfight. But Houser brought a gun."

Houser slouched in a chair beside his attorneys as Gamboney spoke. Houser showed no visible reaction until Gamboney announced he would revoke his bond. Houser had been on house arrest since he was charged - a rarity for a murder defendant.

Nieves' sister, Angelica Nieves, told reporters she was satisfied with the verdict and was glad to see Houser taken into custody.

"It's not a first-degree conviction ... He's still convicted," she Nieves said. "All that matters to me that is that he's convicted, in some or manner, his name is put as a murderer, because he was a murderer. He is a murderer."

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