Illinois judges Friday found that the police evidence used to convict four men in two cases was not reliable and ruled that the men be released from prison.

Brothers Juan and Rosendo Hernandez, along with Arthur Almendarez and John Galvan, were released from prison after the judges found that the police detectives involved had possibly coerced the men into confessing. 

Juan and Rosendo Hernandez were each sentenced to more than 100 years in prison for the 1997 murder of Jorge Gonzalez, who was 18 years old when he was shot to death. The brothers had alibis for their whereabouts the night of the murder, which were supported by witness testimony at trial. However, police stated they had received a tip connecting the brothers to the murder. The police also stated that members of the Gonzalez family had identified the two men as the shooters.

In an affidavit, a former drug dealer stated that he had heard Joe Miedzianowski, a former Chicago police officer serving a life sentence for running a drug trafficking and protection racket, discuss at least three times that he intended to frame Juan Hernandez.

The Hernadez brothers are the 25th and 26th people to have had their convictions overturned due to allegations of misconduct against Reynaldo Guevara, the Chicago police detective who handled the brothers’ case.

In the case of Almendarez and Galvan, the two men were convicted of first-degree murder and aggravated arson in 1987. They were sentenced to life in prison without parole. On appeal it was found that the only evidence was the signed confessions and that the detectives had a history of coercing confessions. The two were granted a new trial in 2019 and 2022.

Almendarez and Galvan will have a status hearing on July 21.