>>> A WTTW NEWS ANALYSIS FOUND THAT CHICAGO TAXPAYERS PAID $1533 MILLION SINCE 2019 TO RESOLVE LAWSUITS BROUGHT BY MORE THAN THREE DOZEN PEOPLE WRONGFULLY CONVICTED BASED ON EVIDENCE GATHERED BY CHICAGO POLICE OFFICERS.

THAT TOLL IS ONLY SET TO GROW AS A KEY CITY PANEL ENDORSES A RECOMMENDATION TO PAY $25 MILLION TO TWO MEN WHO SPENT A COMBINED 34 YEARS IN PRISON.

WTTW NEWS REPORTER HEATHER SURE OWN JOINS US WITH MORE.

AS PART OF A SERIES OF REPORTS ON POLICE MISCONDUCT, YOU LOOKED AT THE CAUSES OF THE LAWSUITS THAT HAVE COST TAXPAYERS $313 MILLION SINCE JANUARY OF 2019.

WHAT DID YOU FIND?

>> CASES THAT INVOLVED WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS COST CHICAGO TAXPAYERS THREE TIMES AS MUCH AS LAWSUITS THAT CITED ANY OTHER CAUSE AS IDENTIFIED PIE BY THE CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF LAW.

THESE CASES ACCOUNT FOR NEARLY HALF OF THE $313 MILLION THAT YOU MENTIONED SINCE 2019.

AND THIS TOTAL AS YOU SAID IS SET TO GROW AND THESE CASES, THERE IS NO END IN SIGHT.

>> YOU CAN SEE A STARK CONTRAST AS YOU SAID BETWEEN REVERSE CONVICTION AND EXCESSIVE FORCE.

WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE LATEST WRONGFUL CONVICTION CASE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING?

>> TODAY THE CITY COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE ADVANCED A PROPOSAL OR RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CITY'S LAWYERS TO PAY TWO MEN A COMBINED $25 MILLION.

THEY SPENT 34 YEARS IN PRISON COMBINED, CHARGED AND CONVICTED OF CRIMES THEY DID NOT COMMIT, THE 1993 MURDER OF A BASKETBALL STANDOUT.

THEY ALLEGE THE CONVICTION WAS BASED ON FAULT Y EVIDENCE DEVELOPED BY CHICAGO POLICE DETECTIVES.

>> HOW DOES THIS COMPARE TO WHAT THEY PAID TO OTHER PEOPLE SPENTING TIME FOR CRIMES THEY DIDN'T COMMIT?

>> IT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS CONVICTED.

IT CAN ONLY BE COMPARED TO TWO JURY VERDICTS IN RECENT YEARS WHERE A JURY FOUND THAT THE WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS WERE THE RESULT OF MISCONDUCT BY CHICAGO POLICE OFFICERS.

THE SETTLEMENT IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT AN EVEN LARGER JURY VERDICT THAT THE CITY'S LAWYERS TOLD THE CITY COUNCIL WAS QUITE LIKELY.

>> YOU ALSO REPORTED THAT THE CHICAGO CITY COUNCIL WILL RECONSIDER THE DECISION TO REJECT A RECOMMENDATION FROM CITY LAWYERS TO PAY $2 MILLION TO THE FAMILY OF A MAN SHOT AND KILLED BY POLICE OFFICERS IN 2014 DURING A FOOT CHASE.

WHAT IS THE LATEST ON THAT?

>> THE ALDERMAN DELAYED A VOTE ON THAT RECONSIDERATION TODAY SAYING THE LAW DEPARTMENT HAD MORE WORK TO DO BEFORE IT WAS READY FOR THE RECONSIDERATION AT THE CITY COUNCIL.

SO IT IS BACK PERHAPS IN LIMBO.

WE DON'T KNOW WHY THE CITY COUNCIL HAS DECIDED TO RECONSIDER THEIR VOTE IN JULY TO REJECT IT ON A 22-26 VOTE, SOMETHING THAT IS NEARLY UNPRES DEPTED IN CITY COUNCIL HISTORY.