CHICAGO — Chicago police scrubbed evidence that could have helped clear a man convicted of the murder of off-duty Officer Clifton Lewis, and kept further evidence hidden from both prosecutors and defense attorneys, a new court filing alleges.
Attorneys for Alexander Villa, who was convicted of the murder in 2019 but is still awaiting sentencing, want an order from a judge letting them inspect police files directly, instead of relying on what police have turned over to attorneys.
Lewis, an eight-year veteran of the department, was fatally shot in December 2011 at the West Side convenience store where he was working as a security guard. Prosecutors described the attack as a botched robbery.
