Good afternoon, Chicago.
A settlement agreement has been reached in the first federal lawsuit alleging phony arrests by ex-Chicago police Sgt. Ronald Watts and his team, a milestone that could have implications for the more than 150 other Watts-related cases.
Ben Baker sued Watts and the city in 2016, alleging Watts and his team pinned bogus cases on him — and in one instance, his partner, Clarissa Glenn — in retaliation for refusing to pay Watts a $1,000 bribe. Baker spent about 10 years in prison before his conviction was thrown out.
Attorneys for the city reached a deal to settle with Baker and Glenn last month that is pending approval by the City Council, according to court records. The agreed-on payout has not been disclosed, but only payouts above $100,000 must be approved by aldermen.
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