By WMBD-TV
NORMAL – A possible weekslong civil trial that was set next month for the town of Normal to square off against Alan Beaman could be done before it starts.
That’s only if the town council votes on Monday night to accept a $5.4 million settlement with Beaman who had a 50-year murder sentence thrown out by the state Supreme Court in 2008. He was later granted a certificate of innocence, with then-Gov. Pat Quinn issuing a pardon.
He was alleged to have strangled his ex-girlfriend, Jennifer Lockmiller, a student at Illinois State University at the time, by using the cord of a clock radio in her apartment in 1992. He was convicted of murder but the Supreme Court said the facts just weren’t there to support a conviction.
As such, Beaman later sued the Town and several police officers for malicious prosecution, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and conspiracy. And the state Supreme Court said that was OK, despite the notion that usually police officers are protected from that.
In its 2021 opinion, the court said an objective jury could determine that defendants in this case intentionally ignored, shaped, interpreted, or created evidence to support their conclusion that Beaman was guilty. As a result, Beaman was entitled to a jury trial to determine whether the detectives acted maliciously, the justices wrote.
The council’s agenda packet, released Friday, discusses the settlement of Beaman’s malicious prosecution lawsuit which was slated for trial next month in McLean County Circuit Court. Beaman would get $5.4 million, most of which ($4 million) would be covered by the city’s liability insurance, the packet states.
“The Town admits no wrongdoing and fully stands behind the investigation and
actions of its officers. The proposed settlement mitigates any risk of an excess verdict and protects the municipality from any excess verdict where damages could far exceed insurance coverage. Thus, protecting the Town’s long-term financial position and budgetary strategies,” the packet states.
In addition to the settlement, the council is being asked to approve a budget amendment which would allow Town Hall to pony up an additional $1.4 million that would be needed if Normal can’t find the money elsewhere.
The council packet also notes that no one from the town will make any comments until after the settlement is approved.
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