TOLEDO, Ohio — During Tuesday's Toledo City Council meeting, members of 11 Investigates were highlighted for their efforts to make a change in northwest Ohio.
Lead investigator Brian Dugger and senior photojournalist Eric Rerucha were honored by council and given a proclamation for a number of stories.
It included investigations into sexual assaults at Cedar Point, holding the city of Toledo accountable for fire escrow money and the "Guilty Without Proof" series.
The investigation into Wayne Braddy and Karl Willis, two innocent men, convicted of killing 13-year-old Maurice Purifie in 1998. The men took a plea deal and were released in March of this year after spending 23 years in prison.
"I spent hundreds of hours investigating their case, many more hours than their attorney spent on this case and I believe they wrongfully spent more than 23 years in prison and I believe the killer of a 13-year-old boy never faced justice," Brian Dugger said during the city council meeting.
Councilwoman Cerssandra McPherson nominated the Dugger and Rerucha for the recognition.
"Karl and Wayne 20 plus years in jail for a crime they didn't commit and because of their consistency not letting go of the investigation staying on it, made it happen, they could have still been in prison," McPherson said.
McPherson said this is personal for her because she was Wayne and Karl's teacher.
"11 Investigates is just making things right, making wrongs right and this was a right and to celebrate Karl and Wayne's freedom is a right," McPherson said, "and I wanted to celebrate it publicly with city council and the citizens of Toledo."