Man Who Spent 17 Years Wrongfully Imprisoned To Receive $12 Million From City Of San Jose

SAN JOSE, CA — The city of San Jose will pay $12 million to a man who spent 17 years wrongly imprisoned for a 2002 drive-by shooting and later sued the officers who put him behind bars, according to reports.

Lionel Rubalcava’s attempted murder conviction — for an attack that left Raymond Rodriguez paralyzed — was vacated in 2019 and Rubalcava took legal action against the city and officers in 2020, Courthouse News Service previously reported.

Cellphone data revealed Rubalcava was in Hollister when the shooting occurred in San Jose, according to The Mercury News.

A judge in March ruled officers Joseph Perez, Topui Fonua and Steven Spillman would be required to face civil rights claims of faking and withholding evidence, malicious prosecution, withholding 14th Amendment rights and conspiracy, according to Courthouse News Service.

The $12 million settlement is the city’s largest ever civil payout for police misconduct allegations and resolves the lawsuit, The Mercury News reported, adding the no-fault agreement is expected to be approved Tuesday by the city council.