Illinois Officers, Ex-Prosecutor Cleared of Framing Slaying Suspect
After a three-year investigation, four sheriff’s officers and a former prosecutor were acquitted of charges that they conspired to send the wrong man to death row for the killing of a 10-year-old girl.
The verdict was announced Friday after more than 10 hours of deliberations. It followed last month’s dismissal of charges against two other former county prosecutors in the case.
The seven were indicted in 1996 on charges they lied and fabricated evidence against Rolando Cruz, who was twice convicted of the 1983 rape and murder of Jeanine Nicarico in the Chicago suburb of Naperville. Cruz, who spent more than 10 years on death row, was acquitted in 1995, and charges against a fellow defendant, Alejandro Hernandez, were dropped.
Investigators claimed Cruz described having a dream about the crime, but Cruz denied it.
Dets. Thomas Vosburgh and Dennis Kurzawa were accused of concocting the statement. Lt. James Montesano was accused of lying to bolster the story. Lt. Robert Winkler was charged with falsely testifying that Cruz made other incriminating statements.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
