$2m to boy wrongfully accused of murder when seven

Chicago is paying $2m (€1.58m) to a teenager who was wrongfully accused of murdering a girl when he was seven, six years ago.

The Chicago City Council must approve the settlement, which was announced by lawyers for the boy and the city.

Two boys, then aged seven and eight, were charged with the murder of Ryan Harris, 11, but were later cleared when DNA tests linked the death to a man with convictions for sexual assaults on other young girls. He is still awaiting trial for Ryan’s murder.

“We feel that the size of the settlement and the fact that the city has made a settlement is an acknowledgement by them that this child was wrongfully arrested and prosecuted,” said the boy’s lawyer, Flint Taylor.

“And it conveys to him the fact that he can put it behind him and feel that the city has finally made some amends for the terrible wrongdoing that he suffered and is still suffering.”

The city did not admit wrongdoing, and has denied that detectives coerced the boys into making statements about the slaying.

“We felt it was in the best interest of the city to settle, given the expense of simply taking the case to trial in the first place,” Law Department spokeswoman Jennifer Hoyle said.

“We were prepared to take it to trial had we not been able to reach this agreement.”

The older boy’s lawsuit against the city is pending.