Alvarez Hopes Focus On Domestic Violence Leads To Better Services For Victims
Cook County's top prosecutor says she hopes the focus on domestic abuse due to problems in the NFL brings changes for victims here, reports WBBM's Nancy Harty.
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Cook County's top prosecutor says she hopes the focus on domestic abuse due to problems in the NFL brings changes for victims here, reports WBBM's Nancy Harty.
Although numbers are vague, the crime of human trafficking presents a real challenge to law enforcement and welfare agencies, who have teamed up to try to raise awareness of troubled children who end up being manipulated or forced into prostitution.
Cook County prosecutors were taking another step Wednesday toward possibly releasing a man from prison - 15 years after he confessed to two murders.
The letter to Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez said the prosecution of Willie Johnson could discourage other people from recanting prior testimony.
County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Sheriff Tom Dart have sought alternate arrangements such as home monitoring for inmates charged with non-violent crimes, but Alvarez expressed reservations to a broad-brush approach to releasing such inmates.
The Cook County State's Attorney has been re-evaluating a 1982 murder case to see if the right man is in prison, and WBBM has learned there are developments in the case.
Former Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine has said he doesn't remember one of his top prosecutors raising concerns about the innocence of a man who was freed from death row in 1999, in a case that became a catalyst to end the death penalty in Illinois.
Alstory Simon confessed to the murders of two people, but has since said his confession was coerced.
The Chicago police union has asked the Cook County State's Attorney's office to examine a milestone double murder case, to see if the right man is behind bars.
Opening arguments are set to begin Monday in the trial for two men accused in the 2009 shooting death of Chicago police officer Alejandro Valadez.
Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez has written a scathing letter to Gov. Pat Quinn, saying the state board that looks into police torture allegations has acted illegally.
Racketeering and conspiracy charges were filed against 23 defendants who are primarily top leaders and members of the Black Souls gang, Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez said.
Authorities have captured a convicted murderer from Indiana who was mistakenly released from the Cook County Jail earlier this week.
Keith Williams, 52, allegedly served his prostitutes crack and heroin twice a day on a silver platter, but prosecutors say he was one brutal master.
Anita Alvarez is as frustrated as anyone else, claiming she's doing the best she can, with what she has to work with.
Alvarez said there were no Illinois charges pending against convicted murderer Steven Robbins, because a January 1993 arrest warrant for armed violence and cocaine possession had been dismissed in 2007.
Last month, Kenneth Williams received a letter from the state's attorney's office demanding he resign because he's a felon. He was convicted of forgery in Indiana in 1985.
Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez has suspended two prosecutors for failing to approve criminal charges against a man who had threatened to set his kids on fire after filling a bathtub with gasoline – then actually set them on fire three months later.
There are about 40,000 drunk driving arrests in Illinois each year.
Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez wants a "complete and thorough, top-to-bottom" review of alleged hazing abuses at Maine West High School.
Several hundred people who all shared something in common -- the violent loss of a loved one -- gathered Saturday at the UIC Forum to share, remember and heal.
The Cook County State's Attorney has announced the indictment of six people - all accused of using their positions in Chicago area school districts to steal money from taxpayers.
Investigators say they have cracked the case of an auto theft ring that stole some 200 vehicles in Chicago.
Jennifer Hudson recently befriended the victim of another horrendous crime, according to a report Tuesday.
A 35-year-old man has been accused of forcing 12 girls into prostitution, and addicting them to heroin.
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin is set to retire in 2026, but before he leaves Congress he is making one last attempt to pass the DREAM Act.
The Chicago Harbor Lock is facing steep cuts to its federal funding under President Trump's 2026 budget.
A rollover crash in Chicago's Loop shut down part of Wacker Drive overnight.
A former autoworker was given back his retirement through the kindness of strangers.
Four people were injured, two of them seriously, in a crash on Chicago's South Side early Friday morning, police said.
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin is set to retire in 2026, but before he leaves Congress he is making one last attempt to pass the DREAM Act.
Former Chicago Tribune publisher and editor-in-chief R. Bruce Dold passed away this week.
Authorities say the FBI has arrested a man suspected of placing pipe bombs outside RNC and DNC headquarters on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
A divided Wisconsin Supreme Court has agreed to take a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of an immigrant rights group.
The Pentagon watchdog released its report on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's use of Signal to share details about operations in Yemen.
A condo owner in Country Club Hills says he's forced to sell his home after his condo association failed to reimburse him for repairs to his leaking roof. Edward Hadnott's condo has sat empty since a major roof leak in 2022.
The U.S. stopped minting pennies this week, and some groups have issued a warning about the headaches that can create for some businesses and consumers.
Why is one school in the west Chicago suburb of Lisle paying a water bill three times higher than another? The answer has to do with a private utility company.
The Food and Drug Administration is warning about additional cookware brands that could be leaching lead into your food.
Walgreens said it will close its office space in Chicago's Old Post Office building.
The newest measles vaccination numbers released by Chicago Public Schools shows immunizations are finally moving in the right direction.
Two pregnant Black women recently faced alarming neglect at hospitals in Indiana and Texas, highlighting racial disparities in maternal care.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday signed a bill aimed at protecting vaccine access in Illinois.
Roseland Community Hospital on Monday celebrated the opening of a new sickle cell treatment clinic.
Consumers with the imported pans should throw them away due to the severe health risks posed by lead, the agency warns.
Traffic at O'Hare International Airport is growing faster than expected, and this has Chicago city leaders wanting to make big changes to future construction plans at the airport.
Small Business Saturday was disrupted by the winter storm for many business owners in Chicago, but in the Rogers Park neighborhood, a group of business owners came together to draw customers.
Three different times over the past year, popular and longstanding Chicago stage theater spaces have made headlines for their demise. But it's not all bad news by any stretch.
A federal judge has called out an immigration enforcement agent for using artificial intelligence to write the narrative of a use-of-force report as just a small part of a scathing opinion that rebutted federal officials' narratives about appropriate force used against protesters and others during an ongoing immigration crackdown in Chicago.
As the Chicago Bears, White Sox, and Fire all push for brand-new stadiums, a new report provided some advice about what teams can do to be successful.
Netflix on Friday said it will acquire Warner Bros., including its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO.
Starting Wednesday, riders on the Chicago Transit Authority system will hear a recognizable Chicago voice during their commutes.
Three different times over the past year, popular and longstanding Chicago stage theater spaces have made headlines for their demise. But it's not all bad news by any stretch.
Joe Colborn, better known as Joe "JoBo" Bohannon on Chicago radio, died this week.
The Chi-Lites occupy a proud place in Chicago music history, and they aren't done yet.
"Elf: The Musical" is now playing at the Auditorium Theatre. Vince Gerasole has a preview.
Cold with a patchy wintry mix Friday night. Lows in the mid-20s.
Netflix on Friday said it is buying Warner Bros. in a deal valued at $82.7 billion, merging the biggest streaming service with a storied studio.
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin is set to retire in 2026, but before he leaves Congress he is making one last attempt to pass the DREAM Act, which he first introduced in 2001.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson appears to reject most solutions offered in a budget proposal supported by many city council members.
Ten residents were hospitalized after a fire broke out at a West Humboldt Park apartment building overnight.
A south suburban mom says her 6-year-old was sent home early and left alone in the cold for more than an hour.
The Chicago Harbor Lock is facing steep cuts to its federal funding under President Trump's 2026 budget.
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin is set to retire in 2026, but before he leaves Congress he is making one last attempt to pass the DREAM Act.
A rollover crash in Chicago's Loop shut down part of Wacker Drive overnight.
A Chicago woman battling ALS said she's been struggling just to get a disabled parking space in front of her Bridgeport home.
Days after new Cook County Chief Judge Charles Beach ordered an urgent review of the county's electronic monitoring program, Sheriff Tom Dart said this crisis isn't new, and that he's been warning lawmakers of problems for years.
Charles Beach was sworn in on Monday as Cook County's first new chief judge in 24 years, and takes over amid a political firestorm over what appears to be systemic issues with how accused criminals are being monitored before trial.
Some Chicagoans found out the hard way on Monday that the overnight winter parking ban is in effect.
The electronic monitoring system in Cook County has come under increased scrutiny, after a woman was set on fire in a horrific arson attack on the Blue Line, with critics demanding answers as to why the suspect wasn't already behind bars.
Sitting in 1st-place in the NFC standings isn't the only feel-good story for the Bears, as cornerback Nahshon Wright was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Month.
The Bulls dropped to 9-12 with their fifth loss in a row.
Braeden Bowman forced overtime for the Golden Knights when he put in his own rebound with 2:28 left in the third period.
Caleb Williams plans on picking up right where he left off the last time he faced the Packers.
The Bulls led by as many as 15 points in the third quarter, holding the Magic without a field goal for the first five minutes of the period.
The special edition locket was inspired by the James Bond film "Octopussy," which revolves around a plot to steal a rare Faberge egg.
Authorities say the FBI has arrested a man suspected of placing pipe bombs outside RNC and DNC headquarters on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
A woman from Chicago's northwest suburbs appeared in court Thursday for a shooting that killed another woman in the South Loop in September.
The man charged with pushing a CTA passenger onto the tracks at a Blue Line station in Chicago's western suburbs on Monday was ordered held in jail, after repeatedly interrupting the judge and prosecutors during his first court appearance on Wednesday.
A divided Wisconsin Supreme Court has agreed to take a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of an immigrant rights group.
