Convictions tossed for 10 framed by Chicago police sergeant

CHICAGO – A judge has overturned the drug convictions of 10 more men who were framed by a disgraced former Chicago police sergeant, bringing the number of people cleared in the scandal to 63.

A Cook County judge granted motions Monday filed by prosecutors to vacate the men’s convictions.

Dozens of others have already been exonerated after alleging they had drugs planted on them or were otherwise framed after refusing to pay former Sgt. Ronald Watts or his tactical team.

Sean Starr, an attorney for the Chicago Law School’s Exoneration Project, tells the Chicago Sun-Times that 63 defendants have now been exonerated after being charged with crimes in cases tainted by Watts.

Watts was sentenced to 22 months in prison in 2013 after pleading guilty to stealing money from an FBI informant.