In a significant reversal, two major federal street-gang cases in Chicago are heading back to court this fall, following claims that prosecutors made undisclosed promises to witnesses. The first case, involving accused Wicked Town leader Donald Lee and suspected accomplice Torance Benson, both initially convicted last year, will see a new trial starting on September 2, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Their previous convictions, which were tied to numerous violent offenses including seven killings, came into question over the integrity of witness testimony.
U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin, presiding over the retrials, highlighted the gravity of the prosecutorial missteps, saying that it was an "understatement" to term the errors as "avoidable." Furthermore, in another ruling, Durkin ordered a new trial for Labar Spann, the reputed leader of the Four Corner Hustlers, originally convicted in 2021 and associated with four murders, with his retrial slated for November 3. The retrials not only signify setbacks for the prosecution but also represent a substantial drain of judicial and public resources, considering the original trials spanned roughly four months.
The cases brought to light during the sentencing preparations in 2024 involved questionable conduct by former prosecutors, who allegedly made unauthorized promises to key witnesses. In the Four Corner Hustlers case, it was found that ex-prosecutor Peter Salib made an unauthorized promise to key witness Sammie Booker, and in Lee and Benson's instance, it was revealed that then-prosecutor John Mitchell made promises of reduced sentences to cooperative witnesses. While the prosecutors argued there were no "unqualified promises," Judge Durkin declared, "A promise is a promise," indicating that even a qualified promise to a witness should have been disclosed, as reported in the Chicago Sun-Times.
The original convictions of Lee and Benson were part of a sweeping crackdown on the Wicked Town gang by law enforcement, which seized significant quantities of firearms and drugs during the investigation. Lee faced mandatory life imprisonment, while Benson was subject to a maximum potential life sentence, as they were held accountable for a spree of violent crimes including murders and drug trafficking. The Wicked Town gang, known for their stronghold in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood, was notoriously involved in at least 19 murders and a series of attempted murders, among other violent crimes. Members of the gang amplified their notoriety through social media, glorifying their criminal activities and intimidating adversaries and potential witnesses, as detailed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.
