$13 Million Civil Settlement for Wrongfully Convicted Client Herman Williams

On December 17th, 2025 HME proudly with co-counsel Romanucci & Blandin, announces a $13 million civil settlement on behalf of Herman Williams, who was wrongfully convicted for nearly 29 years.

Mr. Williams was wrongfully convicted in 1994 based on a fabricated confession, concealed evidence, and false testimony. His innocence was established in 2022 through DNA testing and forensic re-examination, leading to his exoneration and issuance of a certificate of innocence. In 2023, he filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, pursuing recognition of the injustice he endured and the restoration of his reputation in his community.

“Herman’s story is one of incredible perseverance,” said Hart McLaughlin & Eldridge Partner John Marrese. “This settlement is the last chapter in Herman’s legal battle to rectify his wrongful conviction and prove his innocence,” Marrese continued. “He fought for decades to win his freedom from prison, obtain a certificate of innocence from the very court in which he was convicted, and now, to secure this $13 million settlement with the law enforcement agencies that convicted him.”

Hart McLaughlin & Eldridge is proud to have represented Mr. Williams in his fight to reclaim his name and secure justice. Our firm is dedicated to addressing systemic misconduct, holding institutions accountable, and representing those, like Mr. Williams, who have been unjustly impacted.

Founding Partner Brian Eldridge closed: “While Herman can never get back the years he spent in prison as an innocent man, we hope this settlement will help him close this painful chapter in his life and find peace in the years ahead.”

Mr. Williams’ legal team included Founding Partners Brian Eldridge and Steven Hart, Partner John Marrese, Associate Paige Smith, and Paralegal Morgan Forbes.

Micheal Puente from the Chicago Sun times tells more of Mr. Williams incredible story here

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