Man who served 35 years on wrongful murder conviction gets certificate of innocence

A Chicago man who was wrongfully convicted of murder and served 35 years in prison was granted a certificate of innocence from the Cook County Circuit Court on Monday, his attorneys said.

Brian Beals’ 35 years behind bars is the fifth longest term of wrongful incarceration in Illinois history, according to the National Registry of Exonerations. He was 22 when he entered prison; he was 57 when he was released in December 2023.

Read more about Brian and his fight for his innocence from General Assignment Reporter Violet Miller in the Chicago Sun-Times.