His sister held him tightly after he left Stateville Jail.
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He was greeted by mates and kin, together with his cousin, who was his alibi years in the past. As a substitute of believing his household, police and prosecutors believed the now-disgraced former Chicago police detective Reynaldo Guevara.
“No one wished to imagine us however now right here we’re. Do you imagine us now?” Cruz stated.
Cruz was sentenced to 90 years for a homicide conviction that was vacated Monday. Cruz is now 53. He spent greater than 28 years in jail.
“It is a completely satisfied second,” Cruz stated. “It is a completely satisfied second. There may be nothing to be unhappy about. I am not offended. I forgive Guevara and everyone who did what they did to me.”
“I am so completely satisfied that justice got here,” stated Jose Ortiz, Cruz’s nephew. “Clearly, it did not come quick sufficient for my grandmother to see this and my grandfather and my aunts and uncles that handed away.”
“They advised me my father has most cancers. It was very troublesome. And my brother had most cancers. It was troublesome. My mother handed. It was very troublesome additionally,” Cruz stated.
In line with Cruz’s legal professional, there are greater than 50 instances related to Guevara and thus far, about half have been thrown out. Guevara retired and has not been charged.
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“He was artful on how he received folks convicted and now he is being artful about how he is not going to get in hassle himself,” stated Heart on Wrongful Convictions’ Greg Swygert, who’s Cruz’s legal professional.
Ultimately, Cruz hopes to get a Certification of Innocence with the intention to have his conviction expunged. For now, Cruz went on to his aunt’s restaurant for jibarito, a Puerto Rican specialty. And later this week, he plans to be in courtroom supporting inmates who’re hoping their exoneration in subsequent.
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