A man who is pursuing a certificate of innocence following a 1999 murder conviction that was overturned is facing new charges. This comes after prosecutors accused him of robbing and threatening to shoot a woman during an altercation involving his girlfriend, who drives a CTA bus.
Frank Burrell, 50, was convicted of first-degree murder in 2003 and served 32 years for the death of 29-year-old Renee Battle, who was fatally shot in Hyde Park in 1999. At the time of the incident, Battle was in a vehicle driven by her boyfriend when another motorist drew alongside and opened fire, resulting in her death.
The boyfriend initially claimed he did not know who the shooter was, but he later identified Burrell as the perpetrator. A police report from the Chicago Police Department indicated that Burrell’s mother saw a wanted poster and recognized him along with two associates as suspects. Although Burrell’s attorney during the trial did not present any witnesses, his current legal team asserts that relatives were prepared to testify that he was at home when the shooting occurred.
Burrell spent nearly 20 years imprisoned before an appellate court vacated his conviction in 2019, awarding him a new trial and releasing him on bail. On March 5, 2024, Cook County prosecutors dismissed all charges as Burrell’s jury trial was about to commence.
He subsequently requested a certificate of innocence and is set to appear before Judge Tyria Walton for a hearing on Thursday, according to court documents.
However, while Burrell seeks this certificate, prosecutors are trying to return him to prison due to a recent altercation in which he allegedly threatened a woman to seize her phone. This phone potentially contained footage of Burrell’s girlfriend acting improperly while on the job as a CTA bus operator.
The incident unfolded on September 13 at approximately 9:25 p.m. A 38-year-old woman was traveling on a CTA bus when she confronted the driver, Burrell’s girlfriend Taysha Stillwell, 39, regarding her interaction with another passenger.
As the woman attempted to exit, Stillwell reportedly shut the doors and obstructed the aisle, which forced her to navigate over seats to escape through the back door. Stillwell allegedly pursued her following the bus ride, trying to snatch the phone as the woman recorded their interaction. After fleeing, the victim returned to meet with a CTA supervisor to report what had transpired.
While conversing with the supervisor, Stillwell arrived in a vehicle, accompanied by Burrell. According to a detention petition, she proclaimed she was “off work now” and intended to confront the woman. Alarmed, the woman fled, hearing Stillwell instruct Burrell, “Get her, babe.”
The victim reported seeing Burrell brandishing a firearm and sought refuge within a nearby liquor store. Inside, Burrell allegedly shoved another patron to the ground, injuring her as he pressed the gun against the first victim’s head and demanded her phone.
Frightened, the woman dropped her phone, which Burrell seized before fleeing the scene.
Detectives reviewed surveillance footage from both the bus and liquor store, which validated the victims’ testimonies, leading to Burrell and Stillwell being charged with robbery under Judge Deidre Dyer’s ruling. Additionally, Burrell faces counts of aggravated battery.
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Tim Hecke is the managing partner at CWBChicago. He began his career at the renowned KMOX news radio station in St. Louis and later worked at various stations in Minneapolis, Chicago, and New York City. Tim successfully developed syndicated radio news and content services for all 100 of the largest radio markets in the U.S. He took on the role of managing partner at CWBChicago in 2019.
His email address is tim@cwbchicago.com
