Kenneth Smith

Kenneth Smith, who was released from prison last year after serving nearly 20 years in prison for the murder of a 34-year-old McHenry restaurant owner, filed a petition for a certificate of innocence Tuesday.

The children of a man gunned down in an infamous McHenry crime nearly 21 years ago are opening a Mexican restaurant in the same Wauconda location they spent most of their time with him as children – the original Raul’s Burrito Express.

A presidential visit, a double homicide in Algonquin and an ‘American Idol’ semi-finalist all made headlines in McHenry County this past year.

Jennifer McMullan maintains she was not there the night Raul Briseno was murdered despite taking a new plea deal agreeing she was

Prosecutors vacated the conviction and offered the woman a plea deal that released her on time served

‘We are grateful that, at long last, the justice system recognizes Ken Smith’s innocence, ending his almost two-decade nightmare,’ Smith’s attorney says

Ruling allows state ‘to pursue all avenues of appeal before compelling it to decide whether to move forward with retrying Smith’

‘Mr. Smith is irreparably prejudiced by each additional day he is kept in custody,’ Kenneth Smith’s attorney argues in motion

‘I had a feeling this was going to go this route,’ says son of murdered restaurateur, adding that McHenry County should have done more

Smith, who is serving a prison term for the 2001 murder of a McHenry restaurant owner, pointed to his asthma, positive COVID-19 test in request