Notorious Chicago cops tied to nearly $34 million more in proposed settlements

Thomas Sierra: $17.5M settlement

Thomas Sierra is in line to receive $17.5 million in a settlement tied to his wrongful conviction in a 1995 murder case. Sierra spent more than 22 years in prison before Cook County prosecutors dropped the charges in 2018.

Sierra’s conviction was based on testimony from former Detective Reynaldo Guevara, who has been implicated in scores of wrongful conviction cases. Guevara’s testimony was deemed “bald-faced lies” by a judge, and he was subsequently barred from testifying in any case.

Thomas Sierra speaks to reporters in January after his murder charges were dropped.

Mark Maxson: $8.75M settlement

Mark Maxson is in line to receive $8.75 million in a settlement tied to his wrongful conviction in a 1992 murder case. Maxson claims he was beaten by detectives working under former Sgt. Jon Burge until he confessed to the crime.

Maxson served 22 years in prison before DNA evidence linked the killing to another man. Burge was fired by the Chicago Police Department in 1993 and sentenced to prison on federal perjury charges in 2011.

Ben Baker and Clarissa Glenn: $7.5M settlement

Ben Baker and Clarissa Glenn are in line to receive $7.5 million in a settlement tied to their alleged false convictions in a 2007 drug case. The pair claims they were framed by former Sgt. Ronald Watts and his crew.

Baker spent 10 years in prison before his conviction was vacated by the state’s attorney’s office. Glenn was the mother of Baker’s three children and was in the car when the couple was stopped by Watts’ team.