Mari Cohen, Reporting Fellow at Injustice Watch

After 29 years, murder conviction vacated for alleged police torture survivor

Despite a special prosecutor’s finding that Demond Weston’s torture claims were “unsubstantiated,” a judge agreed with the prosecutor’s motion to vacate his conviction for two 1990 shootings.

by Mari Cohen December 18, 2019January 8, 2024

In a new video ad, Cook County Democratic Party Chair Toni Preckwinkle urges voters to "dump" Judge Matthew Coghlan.

2018 Retention

Breaking tradition, Preckwinkle tells voters to dump a Cook County judge

Cook County Democratic Leader Toni Preckwinkle produced a video urging that voters cast their ballots against Circuit Judge Matthew Coghlan next month. The campaign ad is a sharp break from the tradition of the party supporting all judicial candidates seeking another term.

by Mari Cohen October 30, 2018December 5, 2023

Judicial Conduct

Cook County Judge Clancy still often setting money bond

Despite an order by the chief judge to take defendants’ ability to pay into account when setting bail, Judge Michael R. Clancy still often sets unaffordable bonds. He is one of 59 judges running for retention this fall.

by Mari Cohen September 28, 2018January 31, 2024

2018 Retention

Embattled Cook County judge Coghlan loses party support in bid to keep his seat

For decades Cook County Democrats have supported every judge running for retention, regardless of his or her record. That changed Friday, when the party decided not to support Judge Matthew Coghlan, whose record was the subject of an Injustice Watch review in June.

by Mari Cohen September 21, 2018December 5, 2023

Police

Study: Van Dyke’s complaint history could have foretold shooting of McDonald

Two law professors studied 12 years of police complaint data and discovered officers with the most civilian complaints were more likely to later engage in acts that led to major lawsuits. The number of complaints against Van Dyke, the authors found, put him in the top three percent, a level that made him more likely to be the subject of civil rights lawsuits and payouts.

by Mari Cohen September 4, 2018January 31, 2024

Graph showing Cook County judicial diversity over time

Judicial Elections

Cook County judiciary increasingly diverse; but white judges and men still dominate

Court data since 2001 shows the growing diversity on the bench. In recent years the percentage of African Americans has leveled off, but percentage of Hispanics, Asian-American judges has jumped.

by Mari Cohen August 28, 2018February 6, 2024

A sign urges Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner to sign House Bill 4469

Cook County Jail

Rauner: Won’t sign bill to ease voting by jail inmates without changes

The Illinois governor said he could not support giving jail inmates easier access to vote, as long as the bill also included a provision that required corrections officials to make sure prisoners knew their voting rights upon release. The bill’s disappointed sponsor contends that the bill only required corrections officials to put voting rights literature into the packet handed to prisoners as they are freed.

by Mari Cohen August 20, 2018December 5, 2023

Cook County Jail

Groups push Rauner on bill to ease voting by jail inmates

The organization Chicago Votes gathered 28,000 signatures as part of its effort, along with other progressive organizations and public officials, to convince the governor to sign into law a bill to make voting easier for those locked up in Illinois county jails. A spokesperson for the governor said he is weighing a variety of bills on his desk.

by Mari Cohen August 16, 2018December 5, 2023

Lawsuit: Private company extorts California detainees on electronic monitoring

A California lawsuit contends one county has left a private company to charge hefty fees, and threaten those unable to pay with jail for the right to be released pretrial on electronic monitoring. The lawsuit may be a cautionary tale as electronic monitoring spreads as an alternative to being locked up before trial.

by Mari Cohen August 13, 2018December 5, 2023

2018 Retention

Cook County judge facing retention denies framing suspects for 1993 murder

Cook County judge Matthew Coghlan, facing retention in November, says he was not part of a meeting where a corrupt cop convinced an informant to frame two innocent men for murder. Court records, however, show he may have met the informant that day.

by Mari Cohen August 6, 2018December 5, 2023

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