Criminal Justice | Chicago Defender

Family of Sonya Massey Reaches $10M Settlement After Fatal Police Shooting, Pushes for Reform

The Chicago Defender - February 12, 2025

On what would have been her 37th birthday, the family of Sonya Massey reached a $10 million settlement after a sheriff’s deputy shot and...

COLUMN: A Final Act of Grace: Biden’s Opportunity to Redefine Pardons

Tacuma Roeback, Managing Editor - January 16, 2025

President Joe Biden (left) with his son, Hunter Biden (right), whom he pardoned in December (Photo Credit: AP under a CC BY 4.0 license). The...

New Trial Granted for Alleged Gunman in Hadiya Pendleton Case

Staff Report - January 3, 2025

Micheail Ward, convicted in 2018 for the murder of 15-year-old Chicago honor student Hadiya Pendleton, will get a new trial. The Illinois Supreme Court...

Black Lives Mattered. Then America Moved On

Word In Black - December 15, 2024

Daniel Penny was arraigned on May 12 on a charge of second-degree manslaughter of Jordan Neely. Penny was acquitted of the crime this month...

COLUMN: Speaking of Pardons, Here’s Why Jesse Jackson Jr. Deserves One

Tacuma Roeback, Managing Editor - December 4, 2024

Photo Credit: Chance Yeh/FilmMagic, Getty Images The quest for redemption is a journey as old as time. The Parable of the Prodigal Son teaches us...

Kim Foxx Reflects on Transformative Tenure as Cook County State’s Attorney in Final Report

Staff Report - December 1, 2024

Outgoing Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx (Photo Credit: Facebook) The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, under the leadership of Kim Foxx, has released its...

Oak Park Detective Allan Reddins Killed in Line of Duty: First Officer Lost Since 1938

Staff Report - November 30, 2024

Detective Allan Reddins, 40, of Chicago was killed in the line of duty on Friday morning. Reddins responded to reports of an armed individual near...

Illinois Supreme Court Overturns Jussie Smollett’s Conviction in Staged Hate Crime Case

Staff Report - November 21, 2024

The Illinois Supreme Court overturned Jussie Smollett’s conviction on Thursday, ruling that a special prosecutor’s involvement in the case was improper. Smollett had been...

Chicago’s Black Press Urges Mayor to Fire Officers With Oath Keepers Ties

Special Contributor - November 15, 2024

By Erick Johnson of The Chicago Crusader Publishers and owners of Chicago’s Black media organizations have banded together, urging Mayor Brandon Johnson to keep his...

Eileen O’Neill Burke Elected as Cook County State’s Attorney, Pledges Safer and Fairer Justice System

Staff Report - November 9, 2024

Eileen O'Neill Burke (Photo Credit: justiceforcookcounty.com). In a decisive win, Cook County voters have elected Eileen O'Neill Burke as their new State's Attorney. O'Neill Burke,...