Conviction Vacated for Last Defendant in 2011 Chicago Officer's Murder

Alexander Villa's charges dropped amid allegations of prosecutorial misconduct, leaving no charged suspects in Officer Clifton Lewis's case.

Cook County prosecutors have vacated the conviction of Alexander Villa, the last defendant in the 2011 murder of Chicago Police Officer Clifton Lewis, due to allegations of prosecutorial misconduct.
Prosecutors decided not to retry Villa, citing the discovery of potentially exculpatory evidence that had not been previously provided to the defense.
The case has been marked by accusations that original prosecutors withheld crucial evidence, including cellphone records that could have exonerated the defendants.
Villa's co-defendants, Tyrone Clay and Edgardo Colon, had their charges dropped last year after similar allegations of misconduct surfaced.
The family of Officer Lewis expressed frustration and disappointment with the decision, as it leaves the murder case without any charged suspects.