CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — In 1976, at the age of 18, the now 65-year-old Ronnie Carrasquillo fired a gun into a brawling, gang-related crowd. A bullet struck and killed a plainclothes Chicago police officer who had been trying to break up the fight.
The next year, Carrasquillo was sentenced to over 200 years in prison.
In August 2023, though, he successfully appealed for resentencing. His appeal included testimony from a psychologist, who put Carrasquillo’s emotional development at the time below the age of 18.
That’s an important consideration, given a Supreme Court precedence that prevents life sentences for juveniles. Another Supreme Court decision ruled that a 40-year sentence is a de facto life sentence.
This week, Carrasquillo’s legal team asked that he be released from prison while he awaits a new sentence.
He’s eligible for parole but has been denied at least 30 times.
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