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“I never thought I would have to go through what i went through to even receive something like this,” Taylor said.
The Chicago City Council voted unanimously Monday to award him a settlement of $14.25 million. Taylor spent more than 20 years in prison for a 1992 double murder he did not commit.
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“That is a fear and anguish they put on me that only God knows how I survived,” Taylor said.
Taylor was 17 when he was arrested for the double murders. He said he was coerced into confessing to the crime and was convicted. But at the time of the killings, Taylor was in police custody, arrested for causing a disturbance. Taylor’s attorneys said police hid that evidence, which would have exonerated him.
“The city knew Daniel was innocent back in 1992 and they fought to convict him. They fought his innocence claim and they fought his civil suit for almost nine years,” said lawyer Alexa Van Brunt.
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Taylor was released from prison in 2013 after his conviction was overturned and sued the city. Since then, he has been re-adjusting to life outside of prison and maintaining a positive attitude.
“I look forward to the rest of my life. I have a 7-year-old who I love,” Taylor said.
The city council also awarded a nearly $2 million settlement to the family of Jose Nieves, who was fatally shot by an off-duty Chicago police officer in 2017.
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