cases there are under review after a police officer was convicted of corruption. men who spent years behind bars for crimes they did not commit are now speaking out to my colleague ryan young who reports from the cnn chicago bureau. reporter: it may be a first in chicago, 15 men exonerated of their crimes on the same day. their felony drug convictions tossed four years after corrupt officer s investigations were first called into question. we concluded that unfortunately the police were not being truthful. and we couldn t have confidence in the integrity of their reports and their testimony. and so in good conscience, we could not see the convictions stand. reporter: leonard gibson says officer ronald watts framed him and took years away from his
up by the same corrupt cop and their releases may be just the beginning as investigators comb through all of the cases brought by the former officer and hesz co his colleagues. ryan young talked with three of the newly freed men. reporter: 15 men exonerated of their crimes on the first day. their felony drug convictions tossed four years after a corrupt officer s investigations with are fircalled in to questi. we concluded unfortunately the police were not being truthful and we couldn t have confidence in the integrity of their reports and their testimony. and so in good conscious, we could not see these convictions stand. reporter: leonard gibson says officer ronald watts framed him and took years away from his life. i did two years, 24 months for watts. came back home, he put another case on me. reporter: in 013, watts then
here s cnn s ryan young who sat down with three of those wrongly convicted. reporter: it may be a first in chicago, 15 men exonerated of their crimes on the same day. their felony drug convictions tossed four years after the officer s investigations were first called into question. these cases have been concluded. and unfortunately, the police are not being truthful. and we couldn t have confidence in the integrity of their reports and their testimony. and so, in good conscious, we could not see these convictions stand. reporter: leonard gibson said officer ronald watts framed him and took years away from his life. i went to jail for 2 years, 24 months. came back home and put another case on me. reporter: in 2013 watts then a chicago police sergeant was sentenced to 23 months in prison after pleading guilty to government funds. and then another officer stole