>>> FOR THE FIFTH YEAR IN A ROW, CHICAGO IS THE WRONG CALL CONVICTION V UNITED STATES.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT FROM THE NATIONAL REGISTRY OF EXONERATION.

HEATHER JOINS US NOW WITH MORE.

124 PEOPLE WERE EXONERATED IN 2022 AFTER BEING CONVICTED.

HOW DOES THAT COMPARE WITH THE REST OF THE NATION?

>> IN ALL, 223 PEOPLE WERE EXONERATED NATIONWIDE .

THERE WERE TWO OTHER EXONERATIONS IN ILLINOIS.

ONE IN WILL COUNTY AND ONE IN LAKE COUNTY.

BUT NO OTHER STATE HAD MORE THAN ILLINOIS.

MICHIGAN HAD 16 EXONERATIONS.

TEXAS HAD 11.

NO OTHER STATE REACHED DOUBLE DIGITS.

>> SO THE MAST VAST MAJORITY WERE TWO -- AND DETECTIVE RINALDO .

WHAT ARE THEY ACCUSED OF DOING?

>> RONALD WATTS FOR MORE THAN A DECADE POLICED THE HOUSING PROJECT.

HE IS ACCUSED AND WAS CONVICTED OF CORRUPTION AND BASICALLY EXTORTING VISITORS AND RESIDENTS OF THE HOUSING PROJECT.

DETECTIVE WAS A JUDGE FOUND ROUTINELY LIED UNDER OATH .

>> IN 2022, CHICAGO TAXPAYERS SPEND AT LEAST $98 MILLION ALLEGING MISCONDUCT BY CHICAGO POLICE OFFICERS.

WHAT DO THESE EXONERATIONS COST THE CITY?

>> CONSERVATIVELY, TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

ALTHOUGH WE WILL NOT KNOW FOR MANY YEARS.

IN SEPTEMBER 2021, TWO MEN WHO WERE CONVICTED BASED ON EVIDENCE DEVELOPED BY DETECTIVE WERE EACH PAID $10.5 MILLION BY THE CITY AFTER SPENDING 23 YEARS IN PRISON FOR A CRIME THEY WERE LATER EXONERATED OF.

THIS IS A MASSIVE DRAIN ON THE CITY'S FINANCES.

>> NOT TO MENTION TRUST IN THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THIS IS NO DOUBT BAD NEWS FOR BRAND NEW MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON.

HE HAS VOWED TO REFORM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND STOP SPENDING MILLIONS IN A LAWSUIT BY FEDERAL OFFICERS.

TELL US ABOUT THE CHALLENGES HE FACES.

>> THEY ARE ENORMOUS.

WHOEVER IS THE NEXT TOP COP WILL HAVE TO ADDRESS THESE REFORM QUESTIONS FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.

THE CITY WILL REMAIN UNDER A COURT ORDER REQUIRING IT -- SPECIFICALLY BLACK AND LATINO CHICAGOANS.

ALL BUT ONE OF THE PEOPLE EXONERATED IN THEIR 22 WERE EITHER BLACK OR LATINO.

THAT WAS BASED ON A 2017 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REPORT THAT FOUND THAT BLACK AND LATINO CHICAGOANS ROUTINELY HAVE THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS VIOLATED.

THAT WILL BE JOB NUMBER ONE FOR MAYOR JOHNSON AND WHOEVER THE