Cook County state’s attorney’s office replaces head of unit that reviews possible wrongful convictions, rebrands effort
The Cook County state’s attorney’s office has replaced the prosecutor heading its unit that reviews potential wrongful convictions and rebranded the effort, the office announced Wednesday.
Assistant State’s Attorney Nancy Adduci, who previously led the unit, will remain as a deputy, the release said. She was replaced by Michelle Mbekeani, who joined the office in 2018 as a legal and policy adviser. The office also renamed the Conviction Integrity Unit, now known as the Conviction Review Unit.
The shift came as Adduci’s work had come under scrutiny in the past year due to her prosecution of defendants accused of shooting and killing Chicago police Officer Clifton Lewis in 2011. The state’s attorney’s office in June dropped charges against two of the three suspects amid accusations from defense attorneys of misconduct on behalf of the police and prosecutors who handled the case.
“The change reflects the office’s continued commitment to addressing historic inequities in the justice system and its ongoing mission to ensure fairness and integrity in the pursuit of justice,” the office said in a news release.
Adduci will be a deputy supervisor in the unit, along with Iris Ferosie. Including the deputies, Mbekeani will oversee a staff of eight.
The state’s attorney’s office had previously reassigned Adduci and her co-counsel, Andrew Varga, after the defense accused them of prosecutorial misconduct.
“Motions alleging prosecutorial misconduct are pending, and the court has not made any rulings,” the office said in a statement released at the time. “The new attorneys assigned to the case will be reviewing the matter and responding appropriately.”
Lewis was shot and killed by two masked men in December 2011 while working a second job as security at a West Side convenience store. Cook County prosecutors charged Tyrone Clay, Alexander Villa and Edgardo Colon in a case that dragged on for more than a decade.
Though charges were dropped against Colon and Clay, Villa was sentenced to life in prison in August after a lengthy bid for a new trial.
Adduci’s role as head of a unit meant to rectify convictions found to be unjust drew particular scrutiny due to the allegations launched in the Clifton Lewis case.
In motions filed to the court, defense attorneys accused the prosecutors of deliberately trying to withhold evidence by using personal email addresses — not subject to disclosure under public record laws — in communications with the Chicago Police Department. They previously filed a motion asking a judge to levy sanctions.
The Conviction Review Unit investigates claims of innocence and makes recommendations for remedies to State’s Attorney Kim Foxx.
Foxx’s office has worked to vacate more than 250 convictions, according the release.
“The establishment of the Conviction Review Unit is not just a name change; it represents a shift in our approach toward rectifying the wrongs of the past, ensuring fairness in our justice system, and incorporating community voices in our decisions,” Foxx said in a statement. “Our work has already led to significant strides, and this move further symbolizes our promise to the people we serve that we will continue to review, rectify, and restore justice, especially in cases marred by historical injustices and misconduct.”
In her policy-focused role at the state’s attorney’s office, Mbekeani lobbied for legislation prohibiting police officers from using deception when interrogating minors, the release said. She was previously an attorney at the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law.
“I am deeply honored to lead the Conviction Review Unit, a culmination of my life’s work thus far in criminal justice reform,” Mbekeani said in the release. “My experiences, from advocating for wrongfully convicted individuals and their rights to initiating groundbreaking legislative reforms, have uniquely prepared me for this role. I am committed to upholding justice, addressing historical inequities, and ensuring that our legal system represents fairness and integrity for all.”
