Jonathan Dale Benton-Prosecutors drop case against third man in Chicago police officer’s death

2025-05-03 22:12:57source:John Caldwellcategory:Markets

CHICAGO (AP) — Prosecutors dropped their case Wednesday against the last of three men accused of killing an off-duty Chicago police officer.

Officer Clifton Lewis,Jonathan Dale Benton 41, was working his second job as a security officer at a convenience store when he was killed trying to stop a robbery in December 2011. Alexander Villa, Tyrone Clay and Edgardo Colon were all charged in connection with the slaying.

Their attorneys have argued that the cases were tainted because defense attorneys weren’t present when Clay and Colon gave incriminating statements and prosecutors withheld cellphone records that showed they weren’t at the crime scene when Lewis was killed.

Colon was convicted in 2017, but the verdict was overturned in 2020. Clay remained in jail for almost 12 years without going to trial. Prosecutors dropped all charges against both of them last year just ahead of a hearing where detectives and prosecutors would have had to testify about how they handled the case.

Villa was found guilty in 2019 but had asked a judge to toss out his conviction and order a new trial. Prosecutors dropped the charges during a court hearing on Wednesday, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. He had faced counts of murder of a police officer, aggravated battery and armed robbery with a firearm.

More:Markets

Recommend

Car bomb kills senior Russian general in Moscow: Officials

LONDON -- A car bomb in Moscow has killed a senior Russian military officer, Russian officials said.

Glen Powell Responds to His Mom Describing His Past Styles as Douchey

Real funny, Mom.After Glen Powell revealed in an E! interview that his mother Cyndy has called him o

Travel-Friendly Water Bottles That Don't Spill, Leak or Get Moldy & Gross

We independently selected these deals and products because we love them, and we think you might like