Prosecutors
Prosecutors have discretion about which crimes they choose to pursue and how they charge and prosecute them. We report on the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office and the role prosecutors play in the criminal legal system.
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Illinois’ prosecutor-initiated resentencing law was supposed to be a progressive policy win. So far, it’s yielded no winners.
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Special prosecutors have protected powerful defendants and derailed justice for crime victims
After 31-year-old mother of three Megan Wells was killed in a 2016 Rock River boat crash by an allegedly drunk boater, special prosecutors dropped most of the charges as part of a plea deal, allowing the defendant, a well-connected pharmacist, to walk free. The lead prosecutor never publicly disclosed a professional connection to the local…
What is a special prosecutor and how are they appointed?
Special prosecutors are called in when the local state’s attorney has a conflict of some kind. Here’s how the process works.
Illinois bill and court ruling could help more people move on after wrongful convictions
Days after an appeals court ruled that some people should automatically get certificates of innocence, state legislators passed a bill to raise compensation for wrongful convictions.
ICE deported them. Cook County prosecutors still want them arrested for missing court.
Cook County prosecutors are asking judges to issue warrants for people who were no-shows in traffic court — because they had already been deported.
Why is the Cook County State’s Attorney prosecuting nonviolent ICE protesters?
A Block Club Chicago investigation found dozens of protesters arrested by state police are still facing criminal charges for minor infractions, such as sitting on a concrete barrier — even after Gov. JB Pritzker vowed to protect their First Amendment rights.
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