New Database Reveals Impact of Wrongful Convictions on Taxpayers and Communities in City of Chicago

Database tracks key demographics, outcomes of prior lawsuits, and associated legal costs to improve strategies and reduce costs of litigating wrongful convictions cases

CHICAGO, Dec. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Truth, Hope and Justice Initiative, global law firm Ropes & Gray, the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance, and global professional services firm Aon announced today the creation of a searchable database comprising information on Section 1983 civil rights lawsuits filed against the City of Chicago and personnel from the Chicago Police Department since the year 2000.

The first-of-its-kind database captures the parties' demographics, the plaintiffs' claims, the disposition of closed cases, and the associated financial costs to City of Chicago taxpayers from paying out jury awards, settlements, and outside counsel fees to defend these cases. The database is designed to improve the outcomes and impact of civil rights litigation and advance criminal justice reform nationwide.

"This analysis shows the staggering costs of wrongful convictions and police misconduct in the City of Chicago," said Chicago-based civil rights attorney Andrew M. Stroth, founder of the non-profit Truth, Hope and Justice Initiative and architect of the project. "Taking a data-driven approach and leveraging technology allows us to measure risks and evaluate outcomes for plaintiffs and defendants and help improve future conduct by the Chicago Police Department."

Using this database, attorneys for litigants pursuing claims in wrongful convictions cases will be able to access information that provides them with additional context and fact patterns that may be useful in constructing their cases. Attorneys defending the City against these claims will be able to use the database to streamline their efforts by gaining insight on how prior wrongful conviction cases have been resolved to better allocate their resources in responding to these lawsuits. Criminal justice reform advocates can access the database to help evaluate the impact of the monetary costs of these cases to the City of Chicago and help drive reform.

"The platform is the first to drill into the hundreds of wrongful conviction cases brought against the city of Chicago over the past 23 years, capturing data on plaintiffs, defendants, jury verdicts, settlements, litigation expenses, and more," said Chicago-based Ropes & Gray partner Matt Jones. "Our goal is to help streamline the amount of time these cases spend in the court system and reduce the exorbitant cost to City of Chicago taxpayers."

Among key findings from the database, over 300 wrongful convictions and civil actions brought against the City of Chicago between 2000 and March 2023 resulted in verdicts or settlements costing the city more than a half billion dollars.

Looking ahead to a wider U.S. rollout, the database platform will serve as a tool for future litigation and a resource to educate the greater public. 

"This project is about utilizing data to help local governments across the U.S. make decisions that are better for their cities, their taxpayers, the judicial system, and for victims of past misconduct," said Darren Zeidel, EVP, general counsel and company secretary, Aon. "We are proud to collaborate on this initiative as we engage with our community partners to achieve a more just and inclusive society."

About the Truth, Hope and Justice Initiative 
The Truth, Hope and Justice Initiative (Truth, Hope and Justice") is a non-profit organization founded by civil rights attorney Andrew M. Stroth. The organization is committed to advancing social justice and racial equality by publishing stories of mothers impacted by unjustified police brutality and individuals wrongfully convicted in America. Truth, Hope and Justice has also formed a strategic alliance with Ropes & Gray, the Law Firm Anti-Racism Alliance, and Aon to develop and build an unprecedented database project tracking Section 1983 civil rights litigation in Chicago, Philadelphia and other jurisdictions across the country. The goal of this project is to utilize objective, data-driven insights to inform and improve litigation outcomes and advance police reform in America.

About Ropes & Gray
Ropes & Gray, a preeminent, global law firm, has been ranked in the top-three on The American Lawyer's prestigious "A-List" for seven years and is ranked #1 on Law.com International's "A-List" in the U.K.—rankings that honor the "Best of the Best" firms. The firm has approximately 1,500 lawyers and legal professionals serving clients in major centers of business, finance, technology, and government in Boston, Chicago, Dublin, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Tokyo and Washington, D.C. The firm has consistently been recognized for its leading practices in many areas, including asset management, private equity, M&A, finance, real estate, tax, antitrust, life sciences, health care, intellectual property, litigation & enforcement, privacy & cybersecurity, and business restructuring.

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About Aon
Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Our colleagues provide our clients in over 120 countries and sovereignties with advice and solutions that give them the clarity and confidence to make better decisions to protect and grow their business.  

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About the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance: The Law Firm Antiracism Alliance is a nonprofit organization created for the purpose of achieving racial equity in the law. The LFAA is a collaborative effort of 300 law firms that are located in all 50 states. These Alliance Firms, in partnership with legal services organizations and key stakeholders, dedicate their pro bono resources to initiatives that identify and address systemic racism in the law. 

Media Contacts:

Ropes & Gray LLP
Jane Lanzillo
Public Relations Manager
+1-617-854-2238
[email protected]

Aon
[email protected] 
Toll-free (U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico): +1 833 751 8114 
International: +1 312 381 3024 

SOURCE Ropes & Gray