BY: The Exoneration Project
BREAKING: State’s Attorne Dismisses Six More Convictions Tied to Corrupt Sgt. Ronald Watts
More than 100 convictions have now been tossed in largest mass exoneration in Chicago history
CHICAGO – Six more men had their drug convictions thrown out on Tuesday morning before Presiding Criminal Court Judge LeRoy K. Martin, Jr. The cases stem from arrests made between 2005-2008. All alleged they were framed by a corrupt team of officers led by a now-disgraced former Chicago Police Department Sergeant—Ronald Watts.
More than 100 convictions will have been tossed in what has become one of the largest police scandals in Chicago history. In February 2019, Mayor Lori Lightfoot called Watts “the Burge of our time,” referring to Chicago Commander Jon Burge who for years physically tortured African American men into false confessions.
After the first Watts-related mass exoneration more than three years ago, the City’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) opened an investigation into the roughly dozen Watts subordinates tied to the dismissed cases and who remain active-duty Chicago Police officers. Neither the Lightfoot administration nor COPA has taken any action since. Meanwhile, the officers continue to be paid even where the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office has determined it will no longer rely on testimony from officers tied to Watts. And as of today’s date, the City has paid outside counsel more than $5.6 million in defending the current and former Chicago officers in lawsuits.
In 2012, Watts and Officer Kallatt Mohammed were federally indicted and later pled guilty to taking a bribe from an informant. Law enforcement documents have since revealed that Watts and members of his team were running a “protection racket” for more than a decade, planting evidence and fabricating charges against Southside residents while facilitating their own drug and gun trade.
The Illinois Appellate Court has referred to Watts and his team as “corrupt police officers,” perjurers, and “criminals,” chastising the City’s police disciplinary oversight bodies for their utter failure to do anything “to slow down the criminal” police officers during a decade of corruption.
The 6 men whose convictions were dismissed are Antwan Bradley, David Holmes, Shaun James, Jermaine Morris, Derrick Mapp, and Bryant Patrick. This will be Shaun James’ second Watts-related conviction vacated.
All told, there have been 80 men and women who have had their Watts-related convictions dismissed, almost always long after they finished their sentences. Together, they were sentenced to serve 256 years in prison.
For his 2013 federal conviction, Watts served 22 months and Mohammed served 18 months. No other officer has faced charges.
The following 80 individuals have had convictions dismissed based on allegations they were framed by Watts and his team.
(EP) indicates they are represented by The Exoneration Project
(Flaxman) indicates they are represented by the Law Office of Kenneth N. Flaxman, P.C
| Individual | # of Convictions | Sentence |
| Ben Baker (EP) | 2 | 18 Years – released from prison via exoneration |
| Clarissa Glenn (EP) | 1 | Probation |
| Lionel White, Sr. (EP/Flaxman) | 1 | 5 years |
| Anthony McDaniels (EP) | 1 | 12 years – released from prison via exoneration |
| William Carter (Flaxman) | 3 | 9 years; CCDOC Boot Camp |
| Bruce Powell (Flaxman) | 1 | 1 year |
| Robert Forney (Flaxman) | 1 | 5 years |
| Angelo Shenault, Sr. (Flaxman) | 2 | 3 years; 15 months |
| Angelo Shenault, Jr. (Flaxman) | 3 | 4 years; 30 months; 2 years |
| Allen Jackson (EP) | 1 | 1 year |
| Christopher Scott (EP) | 1 | Probation |
| Frank Saunders (EP) | 1 | 4 years |
| Henry Thomas (EP) | 2 | 4 years; 4 years |
| Jamar Lewis (EP) | 1 | 5 years |
| Jamell Sanders (EP) | 1 | Probation |
| Lee Rainey (EP) | 2 | Probation |
| Leonard Gipson (EP) | 3 | 2 Years; CCDOC Boot Camp |
| Lionel White, Jr. (EP) | 1 | Probation |
| Marcus Gibbs (EP) | 1 | 2 years |
| Andre McNairy (EP) | 1 | 9 years |
| Phillip Thomas (EP) | 1 | 6 years |
| Shaun James (EP) | 2 | 1 year; 6 years |
| Taurus Smith (EP) | 1 | Probation |
| Thomas Jefferson (EP) | 1 | 4 years |
| Landon Allen (EP) | 1 | Probation |
| Deandre Bell (EP) | 2 | Probation |
| Bobby Coleman (EP) | 1 | 4 years |
| Joshua Curtis (Flaxman) | 1 | 4 years |
| Milton Delaney (EP) | 1 | 1 year |
| Cleon Glover (EP) | 1 | 3 years |
| Rickey Henderson (Flaxman) | 4 | 3 years; 1-1/2 years; 3-1/2 years; 4 years |
| Brian Hunt (EP) | 1 | Probation |
| Goleather Jefferson (Flaxman) | 1 | 1 year |
| Larry Lomax (EP) | 1 | Probation |
| Willie Martin (EP) | 1 | 3-1/2 years |
| James Moore (EP) | 1 | 1 year |
| George Ollie (Flaxman) | 1 | 2 years |
| Mister Lucky Pearson (EP) | 1 | 4 years |
| Nephus Thomas (Flaxman) | 1 | 4 years |
| Vondell Wilbourn (Flaxman) | 2 | 1-1/2 years; 4 years |
| Gregory Warren (EP) | 1 | Probation |
| Martez Wise (EP) | 1 | 1 year |
| Harvey Blair (Flaxman) | 1 | 4 years |
| George Almond (EP) | 1 | 2 years |
| Craig Colvin (EP) | 1 | 1-1/2 years |
| Kenneth Hicks (EP) | 1 | 1-1/2 years |
| Octayvia McDonald (EP) | 1 | Probation |
| Lapon Thompson (EP) | 1 | 2 years |
| Isaac Weekly (EP) | 1 | Probation |
| Deon Willis (EP) | 2 | Probation; 2 years |
| Cordero Payne (EP) | 1 | 2 years |
| Zarice Johnson (EP) | 2 | Probation; 4 years |
| Sydney Harvey (EP) | 1 | 4-1/2 years |
| Jermaine Coleman (Flaxman) | 1 | 4 years |
| Jabal Stokes (Flaxman) | 1 | 4 years |
| Robert Lindsey (Flaxman) | 1 | 4 years |
| Germaine Sims (Flaxman) | 1 | 2 years |
| Alvin Waddy (EP) | 1 | 3 years |
| Kim Wilbourn (EP) | 1 | 2 years |
| Derrick Lewis (EP) | 2 | 2 years; 3 years |
| Gregory Dobbins (EP) | 1 | 3 years |
| Raynard Carter (EP) | 2 | 3 years; 1-1/2 years |
| Darron Byrd (EP) | 1 | 1 -1/2 years |
| Chauncy Ali (EP) | 1 | 1 year |
| Christopher Farris (EP) | 1 | 4 years |
| Stefon Harrison (EP) | 2 | 1 year; 4 years |
| David Mayberry (EP) | 1 | 1 year |
| Anthony Mays (EP) | 1 | 2-1/2 years |
| Gregory Molette (EP) | 1 | 2 years |
| Jajuan Nile (EP) | 1 | 3 years |
| Hasaan Potts (EP) | 1 | 1-1/2 years |
| Calvin Robinson (EP) | 1 | 2 years |
| Alhummza Stokes (EP) | 1 | 3 years |
| Terrence Moye (Flaxman) | 1 | 4 years |
| Demetris Adams (Flaxman) | 1 | 1 year |
| Antwan Bradley (EP) | 1 | Probation |
| David Holmes (EP) | 1 | 4 years |
| Bryant Patrick (EP) | 1 | 6 years |
| Derrick Mapp (EP) | 1 | 4 years |
| Jermaine Morris (EP) | 1 | 1 year |
Total =
Total = 251 years and 9 months of criminal sentences; 18 sentences of probation or boot camp.
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