Our firm has long represented people who were wrongfully convicted as a result of institutional or police misconduct.
When a citizen claims that a public official–usually, a law enforcement officer–has improperly arrested him, or he has been convicted of a criminal offense based upon fabricated evidence, the citizen can pursue vacating the criminal conviction and proceed to civil court once the conviction is overturned. These cases of wrongful conviction, false arrest, and malicious prosecution have resulted in some of the largest verdicts in Illinois and in the nation.
We have represented parties to a successful conclusion in a number of significant cases. Among our successes in this area: the case of Johnson vs. Guevara, in which our firm was part of a team that obtained a 21 million dollar verdict for a man wrongfully accused of murder and incarcerated for 11 ½ years.
Partner Thomas G. Gardiner also triumphed against a notorious Georgia prison in a civil rights case involving the tragic death of an inmate. Derrick Stubbs, who was the first victim of a wave of violence that swept Hays State Prison between 2012-2013, was found dead in his cell after being attacked by other inmates. GKWW’s settlement on behalf of his estate, which was the largest of many wrongful-death cases against Hays State Prison, came after the firm’s legal team discovered internal prison documents showing that prison staff ignored Mr. Stubbs’ pleas for help before his death.
If you’ve been wrongfully convicted, take heart: there is hope for a just conclusion. Contact Gardiner Koch Weisberg & Wrona for a free case consultation.
