W.J. Kennedy Stories | Chicago City Wire

Prosecution’s case against former Cook County prosecutor who convicted twice-convicted cop killer nearing end

By W.J. Kennedy | Nov 10, 2024

A special prosecutor’s controversial criminal case against former Cook County assistant state’s attorney Nick Trutenko, who in 1989 successfully prosecuted Jackie Wilson for the 1982 murder of a Chicago police officer, is coming to a close.

County settles yet another State's Attorney exoneration case for millions

By W.J. Kennedy | Nov 4, 2024

Cook County has agreed to settle a wrongful conviction lawsuit brought by Robert Bouto, who spent 23 years in prison for the 1993 murder of a 15-year-old on the Northwest Side. At $3.1 million, the settlement is expected to be only a fraction of a possible impending settlement with the city of Chicago.

A Burke or Fioretti win expected to bring Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office back to adhering to rule of law

By W.J. Kennedy | Oct 31, 2024

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO) went off script with Kim Foxx over her eight years in office exonerating scores of convicted murders on questionable claims of police and prosecutorial misconduct.

Convicted cop killer will soon be a free man, victim's family cast aside

By W.J. Kennedy | Oct 8, 2024

Chicago’s police union, FOP Lodge 7, is intervening in case of convicted cop killer to prevent yet another of Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s controversial exonerations.

Deposition of Kim Foxx critical in Jose Cruz wrongful conviction case, defense attorneys tell federal judge

By W.J. Kennedy | Oct 1, 2024

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx should be required to explain in a deposition why she exonerated Jose Cruz of the 1993 murder of a 16-year-old Antwane Douglas, attorneys for police defendants argue in Cruz’s wrongful conviction case in federal court.

Lawyers spar over testing of police documents in Jose Cruz wrongful conviction case

By W.J. Kennedy | Sep 29, 2024

Lawyers defending the city in the Jose Cruz wrongful conviction case have asked a federal judge to delay the testing of samples from the 1993 General Offense Case Report of the murder of a 16-year-old Antwane Douglas at North and Kedzie Avenues. Additionally, the city's defense is asking for the judge to arrange a time when both legal teams' experts can be present at the testing.

Will State's Attorney Kim Foxx throw open the prison doors during final months in office?

By W.J. Kennedy | Sep 29, 2024

The scuttlebutt in Chicago among watchdogs and former Cook County prosecutors is that State's Attorney Kim Foxx will spend her remaining three months in office executing a rash of exonerations she has planned, including one convicted of the 2011 murder of a beloved off-duty Chicago police officer.

Despite four DUIs resulting in one death, two injuries and time behind bars, illegal alien almost certain to remain in country

By W.J. Kennedy | Sep 23, 2024

The Illinois Department of Corrections has no intention of notifying U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when it discharges Vicente Torres-Vasquez

Social justice groups calling for more exonerations to rally outside State's Attorney Kim Foxx’s office

By W.J. Kennedy | Sep 21, 2024

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx has exonerated over 250 since first taking office in late 2016.

Kim Foxx asks federal judge to prevent her from being deposed in Jose Cruz wrongful conviction case

By W.J. Kennedy | Sep 18, 2024

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx is asking a federal judge to quash a subpoena for her to be deposed in the Jose Cruz wrongful conviction case.

Showdown imminent between city council and Mayor Brandon Johnson over the future of gunshot detection technology

By W.J. Kennedy | Sep 18, 2024

Chicago City Council this week is teeing up two legislative initiatives to stop Mayor Brandon Johnson’s planned phaseout of ShotSpotter, a proven life-saving gunshot detection technology.

In wrongful conviction case, city lawyers urge federal judge to separate claims against cops from claims against city

By W.J. Kennedy | Sep 13, 2024

Lawyers representing the city of Chicago are asking a federal judge to reject the plaintiffs’ motion in a wrongful case not to bifurcate

'A small win' for CCL holders could turn into something much more

By W.J. Kennedy | Sep 10, 2024

One of the state’s leading Second Amendment advocates

Kim Foxx, proponent of fairness, hit with dual discrimination suit: race and age

By W.J. Kennedy | Sep 10, 2024

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx championed equality and diversity during her tenure in office

Kim Foxx objects to deposition in wrongful conviction case of Jose Cruz, a man she exonerated

By W.J. Kennedy | Sep 7, 2024

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx is objecting to being deposed in the federal wrongful conviction case of Jose Cruz, a man she exonerated in 2022 for the 1993 murder of a 16-year-old.

Illinois Gun Rights Alliance: South Loop is a 'rich environment for thieves looking for guns'

By W.J. Kennedy | Sep 4, 2024

A recent rash of gun thefts from cars parked in the South Loop is no surprise to gun rights advocates.

Victim advocate: Victims of crimes committed by illegal aliens suffer doubly from under reporting in the media

By W.J. Kennedy | Aug 29, 2024

A recent report by the Chicago Contrarian that shows the rapid rise in recent years of the number of Venezuelans, Ecuadorians and Colombians arrested in the city helps draw attention to the victims of crimes committed by illegal aliens, says Don Rosenberg, President of Advocates for Victims of Illegal Alien Crimes (AVIAC).

President of Advocates for Victims of Illegal Alien Crime: Naysayers of illegal alien crime 'sanitize' the language, rely on scanty data

By W.J. Kennedy | Aug 23, 2024

New York Times columnist is hiding behind semantics and a dearth of data in his attack

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.

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