Illinois juries this week acquitted one man of murder charges while convicting another for the 2019 homicide of a security guard outside Chicago nightclub Sound-Bar.
Michael Matthews was cleared of the most serious charges against him this week, with a jury acquitting him on a charge of murder in the death of 28 year old Thurman Bailey during an altercation outside Sound-Bar on March 8 2019. The jury did convict Matthews of mob action; sentencing on the latter charge is expected in December.
Matthews’ one-time co-defendant, former area basketball star Armond Williams, pled guilty to a single count of first-degree murder in 2023. Williams had starred as a basketball player for the UIC Flames and was the 2004 Horizon League Tournament MVP, later appearing on a basketball reality show hosted by LeBron James. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison…