ELKHART, Ind. (AP) — Elkahrt officials are maintaining that a Chicago man is guilty of a 1996 shooting in response to a lawsuit the man filed after being pardoned.
The Elkhart Truth reports that attorneys for the city of Elkhart and the officers named in the lawsuit filed responses with the U.S. District Court in South Bend Monday denying that Keith Cooper was wrongfully convicted or that there was any misconduct during the investigation or trial.
Cooper was charged for a home invasion that resulted in a non-fatal shooting and served 10 years of a 40-year sentence. His lawsuit suit alleges that the officers violated due process, falsified evidence and forced or manipulated witness statements and identifications.
Gov. Eric Holcomb cited new DNA evidence pointing to another suspect when issuing Cooper’s pardon in February.
