W.J. Kennedy Stories | Chicago City Wire

Man exonerated in 1994 double murder receives $17 million city settlement

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 18, 2025

The Chicago City Council has approved $35.2 million in police-related legal settlements, including $17 million for Roberto Almodovar, who was convicted of a 1994 double homicide and later exonerated after more than two decades in prison.

Chicago oversight commission seeks to limit police traffic stops

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 18, 2025

A civilian oversight commission is proposing to restrict when Chicago police officers can conduct traffic stops, potentially ending enforcement of several minor vehicle code violations.

Victims advocate on bill allowing illegal immigrants to work as driver instructors: ‘It’s even beyond nonsense’

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 17, 2025

Governor J.B. Pritzker is reportedly considering legislation that would allow illegal immigrants with temporary driver’s licenses to work as certified driving instructors in Illinois, a proposal critics say could violate federal law.

IPI study shows South Side is hit hardest by red-light camera tickets

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 5, 2025

A new study by the Illinois Policy Institute (IPI) shows that red-light cameras on the South Side

Wirepoints: Illinois losing its youth in 'very dangerous' trend

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 3, 2025

High taxes and crime have been driving Illinois residents, especially in Chicago, to move out of state. Now a Wirepoints study shows that Illinois is losing young people faster than any other state.

Convicted murderer Robert Smith poised to receive settlement in wrongful conviction case

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 1, 2025

Robert Smith, who was convicted in 1988 of murdering his wife’s mother and grandmother, is set to receive a settlement in his federal wrongful conviction lawsuit filed in 2021, according to a recent court filing.

‘All trimester abortions’ now advertised by Chicago clinic, as pro-life leaders warned in 2019

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 1, 2025

A new abortion clinic in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood is advertising “all trimester abortions,” a development that some pro-life advocates say confirms warnings they issued when Illinois passed the Reproductive Health Act in 2019.

AVIAC president demands action after Chicago city clerk blocks ICE access to immigrant ID program: ‘Lock her up’

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 24, 2025

Don Rosenberg, president of Advocates for Victims of Illegal Alien Crime (AVIAC), is calling for Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia to be “locked up."

Paul Vallas: Educate the public about how much they are shelling out in police-related lawsuits

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 24, 2025

Chicago taxpayers have paid more than $1.1 billion in police-related lawsuit settlements and verdicts since 2008, a financial burden that former mayoral candidate Paul Vallas warns could worsen as hundreds of cases remain unresolved.

Report: costs to house and provide health care for migrants far higher than reported as ICE ramps up removals

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 18, 2025

By the end of this calendar year, Illinois will have spent over $2.5 billion over the past five years on health care and housing for migrants, many of whom are here illegally, a recent report by the Illinois Policy Institute (IPI) shows. The amount is far greater than originally anticipated.

Anti-business legislation before Gov. Pritzker is gift to 'out-of-state millionaire trial lawyers'

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 13, 2025

Plaintiff friendly counties in Illinois will become feeding grounds

Larry Hoover commutation shows GOP doesn’t appreciate the depth of Chicago radicalism, former cop and author says

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 11, 2025

President Trump’s commutation of Gangster Disciple founder Larry Hoover shocked police and prosecutors, crime writer and former Chicago cop Maritn Preib recently told former gubernatorial candidate Jeanne Ives on her podcast, The Real Story.

Chicago plaintiffs’ firm Loevy & Loevy founder hit with civil lawsuit tied to cannabis business Justice Grown

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 7, 2025

Jon Loevy, founder of the Chicago plaintiffs’ law firm of Loevy & Loevy, is on the receiving end of lawsuit alleging that he and his cousin, Michael Kanovitz, defrauded Advanced Flower Capital Inc. (AFC), a Florida-based institutional lender that specializes in financing cannabis businesses.

Federal judge orders key witness in ten-year-old Rodney Collins’ murder to appear in court

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 6, 2025

A federal judge has ordered a witness to the “events surrounding” t

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Wirepoints: Mayor Johnson unlikely to get credit for drop in city's violent crimes

By W.J. Kennedy | May 30, 2025

Violent crime is declining in Chicago, but Mayor Brandon Johnson is unlikely to receive credit for the trend, according to a recent analysis by Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner of Wirepoints, who argue that his policies—particularly those perceived as anti-police—may contribute to increased crime.

Chicago man charged in D.C. Israeli Embassy double homicide had ties to radical political groups

By W.J. Kennedy | May 29, 2025

Elias Rodriguez, the Chicago man charged with first degree murder

Controversy continues to surround the 2011 murder of Officer Clifton Lewis

By W.J. Kennedy | May 24, 2025

It’s unclear if lawyers with the plaintiffs’ firm of Loevy & Loevy

“Back from the Brink” author: evidence and common sense point to need for more police

By W.J. Kennedy | May 23, 2025

A third teen invasion of Streeterville this Spring

'This is not a Burge case' defense argues in Robert Smith wrongful conviction trial

By W.J. Kennedy | May 23, 2025

Attorneys for police officer defendants are fighting against

Former prosecutors urge federal judge to allow subpoena of records showing gang involvement in murder of 10-year-old

By W.J. Kennedy | May 20, 2025

Two plaintiffs in a wrongful conviction lawsuit surrounding the 1993 murder of ten-year-old Rodney Collins are trying to block former Assistant State’s Attorneys (ASAs) named in the lawsuit from subpoenaing Illinois Department of Correction (IDOC) records to show the relationship between the two and three others convicted of the murder.

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