CHICAGO (AP) – A man who had lawful resident status before being wrongfully convicted in Chicago of a 1995 murder is being held by immigration authorities.
Cook County prosecutors this week dropped the case against Ricardo Rodriguez amid allegations a discredited Chicago detective manipulated witnesses. The Illinois Department of Corrections says Rodriguez was taken into custody Wednesday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Chicago Tribune reports Rodriguez’s conviction stems from a drive-by shooting that left a homeless man dead.
The Exoneration Project says two witnesses who testified at trial had been unable to describe the murder suspect until Detective Reynaldo Guevara showed them a picture of Rodriguez. One of the witnesses has claimed he was manipulated by Guevara.
Rodriguez is the 10th case related to Guevara that has been tossed out since allegations the now-retired detective beat suspects and improperly coerced witnesses.