PROSECUTORS SAY THE CHARGES ARE

RELATED TO TWO SEPARATE VICTIMS.

>>> NOW AN NBC 5 INVESTIGATES

FOLLOW-UP.

SIX NEW LAWSUITS HAVE BEEN FILED

AGAINST THE CITY AND A ROGUE

CHICAGO POLICE OFFICER ACCUSED

OF SHAKING DOWN SUSPECTS.

IT COULD COST THE CITY MILLIONS.

NBC 5’S PHIL ROGERS JOINS US

WITH MORE.

PHIL?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS

REALLY WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS

THE ROAD AS FAR AS CORRUPTION IN

CHICAGO.

SOME PEOPLE SAY THEY REALLY

DON’T CARE WHAT HAPPENS IN

POLICE CASES LIKE THIS.

BUT WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS ARE

REALLY A TWO-STEP PROCESS.

FIRST FORMER INMATES ARE

EXONERATED, THEN THEY SUE.

AND THAT OFTEN MEANS MILLIONS

FOR THE TAXPAYERS TO PAY.

ALREADY WE’VE TOLD YOU HOW AT

LEAST 50 PEOPLE HAVE SEEN THEIR

CONVICTIONS THROWN OUT AFTER

MAKING CREDIBLE ALLEGATIONS OF

WRONGDOING BY FORMER POLICE

SERGEANT RONALD WATTS AND

OFFICERS UNDER HIS COMMAND.

>> EXTORTED BRIBES.

STOLE MONEY.

STOLE DRUGS.

RAN THEIR OWN DRUG UNITS.

DID PROTECTION FOR DRUG DEALERS.

AND FRAMED DOZENS AND DOZENS OF

INNOCENT PEOPLE FOR DRUG CRIMES

THAT THEY DIDN’T COMMIT.

>> Reporter: THIS WEEK ATTORNEY

JOEL FLAXMAN FILED FEDERAL

LAWSUITS AGAINST THE CITY ON

BEHALF OF SIX MORE PEOPLE WHO

CONVINCED THE COURT THEY HAD

BEEN FRAMED BY SERGEANT WATTS

AND HIS CREW.

>> THE CITY OF CHICAGO KNEW THAT

THERE WAS WRONGDOING GOING ON

HERE AND FAILED TO TAKE ACTION

TO STOP IT.

>> Reporter: DOZENS OF

WATTS-RELATED LAWSUITS ARE

ALREADY IN THE PIPELINE.

NOT ONLY CAN AWARDS IN CASES

LIKE THESE RUN INTO THE MILLIONS

BUT FLAXMAN NOTES YOU’RE ALREADY

PAYING THE BILLS.

>> NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS THE

LAWYERS REPRESENTING THE CITY

AND THE LAWYERS REPTHING THE

CITY’S OFFICERS ARE CONTINUOUSLY

GETTING PAID.

>> Reporter: INDEED, LAST FALL

WE SHOWED HOW THE CITY OF

CHICAGO CONTINUES TO PAY AN

EXPERT TO TESTIFY THERE IS NO

CODE OF SILENCE IN THE POLICE

DEPARTMENT, EVEN THOUGH MAYOR

EMMANUEL ADMITTED THERE WAS SUCH

A CODE.

SO FAR THE MAYOR’S LAWYERS AND

YOU HAVE PAID THAT EXPERT

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS

TO CONTRADICT THE MAYOR’S

CLAIMS.

AND REMEMBER, MOST OF THE WATTS

OFFICERS REMAIN ON THE FORCE.

EVEN THOUGH THE CITY HAS PULLED

THEM FROM THE STREET AND THEY

AREN’T EVEN ALLOWED TO TESTIFY

AT TRIAL BECAUSE OF CONCERNS

THEY WON’T BE BELIEVED.

>> THE PLAINTIFFS INTEND TO

PROVE THAT THE CITY THROUGH ITS

OFFICIAL ACTION FAILED TO STOP

THESE OFFICERS.

>> AND REMEMBER, ALREADY 50

PEOPLE HAVE SEEN THEIR

CONVICTIONS THROWN OUT IN

WATTS-RELATED CASES AND DOZENS

MORE ARE IN THE PIPELINE.