Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx recused herself from the prosecution of a former Foxx campaign worker and “anti-police activist” who has been charged with striking two Chicago police officers at a demonstration this past July.
Foxx’s recusal from the case came to light at a hearing this morning over a petition from a group of eight police officers, who were monitoring the July demonstration, asking the court to appoint a special prosecutor in the misdemeanor battery case of Jedidiah Brown.
Jim McKay, the Chicago attorney representing the police officers behind the petition, told Chicago City Wire that the judge in the case, Judge LeRoy Martin Jr. of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Criminal Division, now has until May 9 to appoint a prosecutor.
Jedidiah Brown & Kim Foxx
“He’ll try the Attorney General’s office, the Illinois Appellate Prosecutor's office, the State’s Attorneys in the collar counties, and if he can’t find anyone there to prosecute the case, he’ll appoint a private attorney,” McKay said.
The petition from the police officers said that Foxx “has an actual conflict of interest” in the case, citing not only Brown’s role in her campaign, but his center stage presence at an April 6 rally defending her against the backlash that ensued after her office dropped charges against actor Jussie Smollett for allegedly staging a hate crime. Foxx also posed for a selfie with Brown. Over the photo Brown wrote: “Let the record reflect. I stand with Kim Foxx. Blue Klux Klan we aren’t going without a fight you will never forget.”
The news of Foxx’s association with someone who was being prosecuted by her office came the same day Fox News reported that “three ranking staffers have now parted with Foxx including Chief Ethics Officer April Perry; the director of the conviction integrity unit, Mark Rotart; and the director of external affairs, Kiera Ellis.”
In addition, the Cook County Inspector General’s office announced that it is reviewing the dropping of charges in the Smollett case. And President Donald Trump has announced that he has asked for a federal review.
Earlier this month, the Chicago FOP and a group of suburban police chiefs held a press conference demanding that Foxx resign over her handling of the Smollett case.
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