Latest News from Chicago City Wire

Dems slated to approve soft-on-crime platform at DNC hosted in the nation's murder capital

By W.J. Kennedy | Aug 21, 2024

Delegates for the Democratic National Convention have descended upon a city whose misery index of violence and high costs of living are fueled by the very party platform policies that would only expand if Vice President Kamala Harris is elected as President this November.

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Cook County judge rescinds cellphone ban for double murder exoneree and law clerk

By W.J. Kennedy | Aug 20, 2024

Cook County Judge Peggy Chiampas rescinded an order issued last October that banned Roberto Almodovar, a law clerk with the Bonjean Law Group and an exoneree of a double murder, from the Leighton Criminal Courthouse.

Advocates for Victims of Illegal Alien Crime on spike in arrests of foreigners: 'If you are willing to break the law by entering the country illegally, you are willing to break other laws'

By W.J. Kennedy | Aug 19, 2024

Chicago police (CPD) have arrested those born in Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia in record numbers over the past few years,

Violent crime in Chicago continues to rise as mayor moves to cut police force and Foxx fails to prosecute

By W.J. Kennedy | Aug 9, 2024

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s reluctance to prosecute

National watchdog urges Chicago police to refer 1994 murder to cold case detectives; questions surround those exonerated of the murder

By W.J. Kennedy | Aug 9, 2024

The national watchdog group Judicial Watch (JW) has asked the Chicago Police Department to reopen an investigation

In retaliation for attack on Brandon Johnson, Chicago Teachers Union filed a lawsuit against one of its own, complaint charges

By W.J. Kennedy | Aug 5, 2024

A former member of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) has filed a complaint

Testing of original police homicide files in Jose Cruz case must move forward, judge rules

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 19, 2024

A federal judge rejected a request by city defense attorneys in the controversial Jose Cruz wrongful conviction case

City lawyers ask federal judge to separate allegations against the city from claims of police misconduct in Foxx generated wrongful conviction case

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 17, 2024

In yet another wrongful conviction case set in motion by Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx

Legal group suing over government license plate monitoring of innocent citizens racks up big Supreme Court in another case of government overreach

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 5, 2024

The public interest law firm that recently filed a potentially precedent setting lawsuit in the protection of private citizens from government snooping

Judge: 'Nothing new' found to warrant freeing convicted murderer

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 1, 2024

This time, a full court press by exoneration activists and the media wasn’t enough to get a convicted murderer out of prison.

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Retired homicide detective 'shocked' by report finding that Chicagoans calling 911 have a 50/50 chance of police response

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 28, 2024

Calling 911 after being shot, robbed or assaulted in Chicago gives you only an 50/50 chance of having the police respond,

Police union president on pension fund under payments, city's response: 'They are looking to hammer our officers with a decision that should fall on pension fund board members'

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 24, 2024

Already squeezed between a dangerous job and hostile city officials, police officers have been told they need to make up for a shortfall, with an added three percent interest, for under payments into their pension funds, administered by the Policemen’s Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago (PABF).

Former Chicago Detective on $50 million payout in wrongful conviction settlement of Marquette Park Four: 'A travesty of justice'

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 21, 2024

The $50 million wrongful conviction payout recently approved by Chicago City Council to the so-called Marquette Park Four is being called "a travesty of justice" by former Chicago Police Detective Kenneth Boudreau.

Defense attorneys: Kim Foxx exonerees claiming police torture should make all medical records available

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 21, 2024

Attorneys for police accused of torturing two brothers to win a conviction for the 1994 murder of a ten-year-old boy

Controversial head of State's Attorney's post-conviction unit leaving after just six months on the job

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 20, 2024

Michelle Mbekeani, the controversial head of Kim Foxx’s Conviction Review Unit (CRU) in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO), is leaving the position after just six months, multiple sources have told Chicago City Wire.

National watchdog group sues Kim Foxx over failure to comply with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) investigating exonerations

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 14, 2024

A conservative government watchdog group sued the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO), led by Kim Foxx,

Legislation undermines the core of criminal justice system, judgement of the 'common man'

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 12, 2024

Ensuring a suspect is aware of his Miranda rights before questioning could still lead to a confession being thrown out

Plaintiffs in wrongful conviction claim a 5’0” woman stabbed a husband and wife over 50 times

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 6, 2024

Defense attorneys in one of dozens of controversial wrongful conviction cases delivered a point-by-point takedown of the claims made by the two convicted of the1998 stabbing deaths in Bucktown of a husband and wife, and the abduction of their children.

Deal offered to avoid summary judgement in Solache/DeLeon Reyes wrongful conviction cases

By W.J. Kennedy | May 30, 2024

Attorneys for two convicted of a 1998 double murder in Bucktown have offered defendants in their wrongful conviction cases a deal to avoid summary judgement and send the case straight to trial.

Do judges have to fear for their jobs if they rule against money interests?