Chicago City Wire

The Chicago City Council has approved $35.2 million in police-related legal settlements, including $17 million for Roberto Almodovar, who was convicted of a 1994 double homicide and later exonerated after more than two decades in prison.

Almodovar and his co-defendant, William Negron, both alleged members of the Insane Dragons street gang, were convicted in connection with a drive-by shooting that killed Amy Merkes and Jorge Rodriguez, both 18, outside an apartment building in the 3900 block of West Cortland Street. Jacqueline Grande, 20, was shot in the back but survived.

Their convictions were upheld on appeal, and subsequent motions for new trials were denied. 

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx | Facebook

In 2017, then-Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx dismissed the charges, citing allegations that the lead investigator, retired Chicago Police Detective Reynaldo Guevara, had framed the men. 

Almodovar was released after 23 years in prison. Negron remained incarcerated for another year due to an unrelated murder conviction.

Almodovar filed a wrongful conviction lawsuit in April 2018. In a court motion filed in the case, city attorneys cited consistent eyewitness testimony from Grande, who repeatedly identified Almodovar and Negron as the shooters.

“Jackie was shot and wounded in the early morning hours of September 1, 1994, and two of her friends were shot and killed before her eyes,” the motion stated. “For the more than 25 ensuing years, and still to this date, Jackie has consistently maintained that Plaintiffs [Almodovar and Negron] were the perpetrators.”

The motion also noted Grande’s reluctance to appear for deposition due to safety concerns.

“Jackie expressed to defense counsel . . . that she is afraid to appear for her deposition if Almodovar and Negron [co-offender] are present,” it read. “Specifically, she expressed she is afraid (1) for her own safety and well-being, as the parties would be traveling to Jackie’s location to conduct her deposition in-person after she has moved away from the Midwest, (2) that being physically present with the individuals she has repeatedly identified as having shot her and killed her friends will be very upsetting and fear-inducing, and (3) for the safety and well-being of her family, as they moved with her away from the Midwest to her new state of residence."

The motion continued: "Notably, during her testimony in Plaintiffs’ 2015 post-conviction proceeding, Jackie . . . testified that individuals purportedly representing Plaintiffs came to her home on numerous occasions uninvited and without notice. She testified that on one instance, a representative of Plaintiffs stuck their foot in her door and wouldn’t leave; and on another occasion, a representative of Plaintiffs first said she was an old friend of Jackie’s in order to get Jackie to come to the door and speak with her.”

WTTW reported that with the latest round of settlements, the City Council has surpassed its $90 million annual budget for legal payouts with half the calendar year still remaining. Another 275 claims are pending.