A Cook County judge Thursday vacated felony convictions for 15 defendants who claimed they were framed by disgraced Chicago Police Sgt. Ronald Watts, following a landmark decision by the State’s Attorney’s Office to toss aside a string of cases over allegations of police misconduct.
With 10 of the defendants standing in the courtroom, Chief Criminal Courts Judge Judge LeRoy K. Martin approved a motion by prosecutors to throw out a total of 18 cases against 15 men who were arrested by Watts and members of a tactical team that operated in the Ida B. Wells housing projects.