A Peoria County judge has declared innocent a man who was once convicted in a 1994 home invasion and sexual assault.
The Peoria Journal Star reports the judge found 41-year-old Christopher Coleman innocent after a review of the evidence as well as testimony in two previous hearings.
Coleman was convicted in 1995 of armed robbery and aggravated criminal sexual assault, and he was sentenced to 60 years in prison. The state Supreme Court ordered a new trial for him in October 2013. He was free on bond in March 2014 when prosecutors dropped all charges against him.
Coleman had then asked the court to find him innocent, and his attorneys had to prove this was more likely true than not.
The co-director of the Northwestern University School of Law center representing Coleman says he's the first person to be declared innocent in court in Peoria County.
Judge: Man innocent in 1994 home invasion, sex assault
