By MIKE ROBINSON
Associated Press Writer
CHICAGO- A federal jury refused Tuesday to award damages to a man who was wrongly imprisoned for 27 years for murder and rape, rejecting his claim that homicide detectives framed him to close the high-profile case.
“We’re thrilled. This is a great day for the Chicago Police Department,” defense attorney Andrew Hale, who represented the nine retired officers and one current officer named in the lawsuit.
The state of Illinois already has paid Michael Evans, 48, $160,000 under a program that limits the amount paid to those wrongfully imprisoned.
Evans’ attorney, Jon Loevy, suggested in his closing arguments that his client might be due more than $58 million in damages.
“We are disappointed, and we’re going to appeal,” Loevy said.
Evans and another man, Paul Terry, were convicted of the rape of 9-year-old Lisa Cabassa, whose body was found in a South Side alley on a January night in 1976. Police were under heavy pressure to solve the case.
Evans was finally freed and pardoned after Northwestern University’s Center on Wrongful Convictions obtained a DNA swab, which showed that he was not the rapist.
Hale told jurors the fact that the DNA test came up negative did not mean Evans had not taken part in the abduction. He cited the testimony of a witness who said she had seen Evans wrestling with the girl on a street corner.
Evans’ co-defendant also has been pardoned and has sued police.