A person looking for a certificates of innocence for a reversed 1999 homicide conviction is now detained on new fees after prosecutors mentioned he robbed and threatened to shoot a lady throughout a confrontation involving his girlfriend, an on-duty CTA bus driver.
Frank Burrell, 50, was convicted of first-degree homicide in 2003 and sentenced to 32 years in jail for the 1999 taking pictures of 29-year-old Renee Battle in Hyde Park. Battle was using within the passenger seat of her boyfriend’s SUV when one other driver pulled alongside, rolled down his window, and opened hearth, killing Battle.
Battle’s boyfriend initially informed police he didn’t acknowledge the shooter, however later recognized Burrell. In accordance with a contemporaneous Chicago police report, CPD detectives claimed Burrell’s mom noticed a wished poster and acknowledged him and two of his mates as the boys sought in reference to the taking pictures. Burrell’s trial lawyer known as no witnesses, however his present attorneys say members of the family had been able to testify that he was residence in the course of the taking pictures.
After spending almost twenty years in jail, Burrell’s conviction was vacated by an appellate court docket in 2019, which granted him a brand new trial and launched him on bail. Cook dinner County prosecutors dropped all fees on March 5, 2024, the day his jury trial was slated to start.
Burrell filed a petition for a certificates of innocence just a few months later and is scheduled to seem earlier than Choose Tyria Walton on Thursday for a listening to in that matter, in accordance with court docket information.
However whereas Burrell is pursuing his certificates of innocence, prosecutors try to ship him again to jail for a brand new altercation during which he allegedly threatened to shoot a lady to get management of her telephone, which can have contained video of Burrell’s girlfriend misbehaving whereas working as a CTA bus driver.
Prosecutors mentioned the bus incident started round 9:25 p.m. on September 13 close to forty seventh Avenue and Wolcott Avenue. A 38-year-old girl was using a CTA bus when she received into an argument with the driving force, recognized as Burrell’s girlfriend, 39-year-old Taysha Stillwell, about the best way Stillwell was talking to a different passenger.
When the 38-year-old tried to exit, Stillwell allegedly closed the doorways and blocked the aisle, stopping her from leaving. The lady ultimately climbed over seats to achieve the again door and escape. Prosecutors mentioned Stillwell adopted her off the bus and tried to seize her telephone as the lady recorded the encounter. The sufferer ran away however later returned to fulfill a CTA supervisor after calling to report the incident.
As she spoke with the supervisor, Stillwell allegedly arrived in a automobile with Burrell and informed the lady she was “off work now” and got here again to “beat [the victim’s] ass,” in accordance with a detention petition. The lady started working away and allegedly heard Stillwell inform Burrell, “Get her, babe.”
Prosecutors mentioned the sufferer noticed that Burrell had a gun and fled into a close-by liquor retailer. Inside, Burrell allegedly shoved a bystander to the bottom, inflicting her to hit her head and again on the ground.
He then grabbed the primary sufferer by the hair, pressed the gun to her head, and demanded her telephone, the detention petition mentioned.
The lady, overcome by worry, dropped the telephone, which Burrell took earlier than fleeing.
Detectives reviewed surveillance footage from each the bus and the liquor retailer that corroborated the victims’ accounts, prosecutors mentioned. Burrell and Stillwell had been each detained on theft fees by Choose Deidre Dyer. Burrell can also be charged with aggravated battery.
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