Emily Hoerner, Senior Reporter at Injustice Watch

Emily Hoerner

Emily Hoerner was a reporter for Injustice Watch from 2016 to 2021, where she covered policing, judges, and other aspects of the criminal justice system. She won numerous awards for her work at Injustice Watch, including an Ancil Payne Award for Ethics in Journalism and a National Headline Club award, and was a finalist for the Online News Association's Knight Award for Public Service.

Archive

Even in those few cases when cop misconduct found, discipline rare

Officers who suffer discipline routinely can lessen the blow by trading in unused leave – a system called “options.” On Monday, the Sun-Times showed that system at work in the case of Detective Nicholas Spanos.

by Emily Hoerner April 19, 2016December 5, 2023

Police

In top cop’s old district, complaints about police abuse

Between 2008 and 2012, the years that interim Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson commanded the Gresham district, Injustice Watch identified 15 federal lawsuits accusing a group of officers of illegal searches and arrests, at times using unnecessary force.

by Emily Hoerner and Adrienne Hurst April 15, 2016February 5, 2024

Police

New superintendent named; no review of alleged abuses in his old district

No time to vet: Council unanimously approves Johnson as superintendent without examining record as commander of district when there were allegations of repeated abuse.

by Emily Hoerner and Adrienne Hurst April 13, 2016December 5, 2023

Archive

Cop’s testimony may be garbage, but don’t hold your breath for consequences

If history is any guide, the fact that a judge called one of the officers’ testimony “garbage” is unlikely to lead to repercussions. Discipline of officers for false testimony are rare.

by Emily Hoerner April 12, 2016December 5, 2023

Archive

Once again, officers unpunished despite disturbing video

While video has brought public scrutiny and attention to police misconduct, Balko’s report highlights the challenges of holding officers, even ones caught on tape, accountable for their actions.

by Emily Hoerner April 4, 2016December 5, 2023

Archive

Judges suspended over affair with each other, five years later

Two downstate Illinois judges violated judicial ethics as they carried on an affair, the Illinois Courts Commission concluded this month in suspending one judge and censuring the other.

by Emily Hoerner March 29, 2016December 5, 2023

2016 Primary

Resurrected: Five Cook County judicial election losers rebound quickly

Cook County voters may have thought they ended the hopes of candidates who lost races for judicial seats last week. But five suddenly rebounded days later.

by Emily Hoerner and Adrienne Hurst March 22, 2016December 5, 2023

2016 Primary

Loss a “mystery” to well-regarded Cook County judge candidate

Anthony Simpkins was rated qualified by several bar groups, but Tuesday night, voters picked his opponent Rhonda Crawford to fill the South Side judicial sub-circuit vacancy that Simpkins has filled since he was appointed to the post by the Supreme Court in 2014.

by Emily Hoerner March 17, 2016December 5, 2023

2016 Primary

Negative ratings do not dissuade voters in Cook County judicial primary

D. Renee Jackson and Rhonda Crawford both received ratings of “not recommended” after failing to participate in the evaluation processes of 12 bar groups. But last night they won the Democratic nomination, both beating out other candidates who had received ratings of “qualified” by the same bar groups.

by Emily Hoerner and Adrienne Hurst March 16, 2016December 5, 2023

2016 Primary

Two candidates, one logo and a lot of confusion

With eerily similar campaign logos, fifth sub-circuit judicial candidates Jameika Mangum and Leonard Murray vie for a bench seat with five days until the election.

by Emily Hoerner March 10, 2016December 5, 2023

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