Domestic violence homicides up 15% in Chicago; Cook County creates specialized unit to prosecute

A new specialized unit is being created to prosecute domestic violence homicides in Cook County, as these killings surged 15% last year, even as overall violent crime declined across Chicago.

Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke announced the launch of the Domestic Violence Homicide Unit, staffed with prosecutors focused solely on these cases. Since Burke took office in December 2024, her office has charged 32 homicides involving domestic violence, with the majority of victims being women killed by intimate partners.

"These are cases I want experts handling," O'Neill Burke said.

The state's attorney's office is also trying to prevent deaths by requesting detention for felony domestic battery offenders at a much higher rate. The detention rate has risen from 54% to 81%.

Additional support measures include the placement of Hattie, an 8-year-old support dog, at the Domestic Violence courthouse to bring comfort to victims and their families.

Since January, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office has provided 155 free Uber rides to domestic violence victims and witnesses who need to get to court.

But the new unit operates only on the criminal court side, which presents limitations. A CBS News Chicago investigation into systemic failures found that many victims deal with domestic cases in civil court.

Maria Rocque's case illustrates the problem. Her ex-boyfriend is now charged with her murder after she repeatedly called police to report him abusing and harassing her. Her calls for help never led to criminal charges prior to her death, leaving her stuck with a protection order in the civil court system.

"The state's attorney's office does not have any authority or jurisdiction on civil proceedings in Domestic Relations Court," O'Neill Burke said.

Asked what the new unit could do to help women like Rocque with cases outside the office's jurisdiction, O'Neill Burke said the focus would be on connecting victims to criminal charges when appropriate.

"Let's say they don't have a police report — those cases that are appropriate for criminal charging, we get them a police report, and we get them a criminal order of protection as soon as possible," O'Neill Burke said.

CBS News Chicago Investigators found that one in four violent crimes in Chicago is domestic violence.