Thaddeus Jimenez, Wrongfully Imprisoned Man, Awarded $25 Million in Damages

Thaddeus Jiminez made $25 million in just 16 years. All he had to do was spend half of his life in prison.

Jimenez, 32, spent 16-years behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit. When he was exonerated and released in May 2009 he sued the city of Chicago. A federal jury has just awarded Jiminez $25 million.

The Huffington Post reports that Jiminez was convicted of murdering Erik Morro when he was just 13. Jiminez was sentenced to 45-years in prison despite the fact that there was no physical evidence linking him to the crime.

Jiminez also accused police officers of ignoring evidence, including the confession of another man, that would have proved his innocence. On the day that Jiminez was released in 2009, Juan Carlos Torres, was charged with the murder Morro.

Jon Loevy, Jimenez’s attorney, said that the State Attorney’s Office “deserved a ton of credit for reopening the case … taking an honest look at it and correcting an injustice.”

Jiminez may have gotten off the hook for murder but he could soon find himself back in jail. Jiminez was convicted on drug charges last December and could serve up to three years in prison. When he gets out, however, he should have a nice big check waiting for him.

Here’s a video about Thaddeus Jiminez’ wrongful conviction from the North Western University Center on Wrongful Convictions.