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Brendt Christensen has shown very little emotion in this trial, but on Wednewsday, he broke down in tears and put his head down in his hand while his father also fought through tears in tears during his testimony.
Brendt Christensen and his father broke down in tears Wednesday as Michael Christensen pleaded with jurors to spare his son's life for killing Chinese scholar Yingying Zhang, saying "he has too much to offer."
The jury deciding Brendt Christensen's fate is preparing for another day of emotional testimony in the death penalty phase of his trial in the murder of Chinese scholar Yingying Zhang.
"How am I supposed to carry on? I really don't know how to carry on without her," said the mother of YingYing Zhang, the Chinese scholar murdered by Brendt Christensen at the University of Illinois.
A federal judge has denied former University of Illinois doctoral student Brendt Christensen's request to delay sentencing in the kidnapping and murder of visiting Chinese scholar Yingying Zhang.
All three defendants pleaded not guilty in the killing of Marlen Ochoa.
Jon Elliot Poole is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting of Sound Bar security guard Thurman Bailey on March 8. He was arrested last week by U.S. Marshals in Georgia, where he'd moved after the shooting.
Closing arguments are scheduled for Monday in the trial of former University of Illinois doctoral student Brendt Christensen, charged with kidnapping and killing Chinese scholar Yingying Zhang in 2017.
A second man has been charged with murder in connection with the fatal shooting of security guard Thurmond Bailey at Sound Bar nightclub in the River North neighborhood in March.
Prosecutors are expected to wrap up their case against former University of Illinois student Brendt Christensen on Friday in the murder of Chinese scholar Yingying Zhang.
Terra Bullis said she truly cared about Brendt Christensen, but also "cared about this missing person" Yingying Zhang. "And it's incredibly painful," Bullis said.
A group of activists in McHenry County is seeking changes at the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, as the parents of 5-year-old A.J. Freund face murder charges in his grisly death.
The FBI is investigating the claim by a former University of Illinois doctoral student that the visiting scholar from China he's charged with killing was his 13th victim, even though no evidence has been found to indicate whether he was telling the truth, an FBI agent testified Monday.
Tyler Bernicky, the son of a Chicago Fire Department lieutenant, is being remembered as a "good kid" who loved being with his family, "happy, laughing."
The federal death penalty trial of a former University of Illinois student accused of killing a visiting Chinese scholar continues on Monday.
Early Saturday morning, Chicago police were called to 79th and Ingleside for a car on fire, but what they found was much more disturbing.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office determined Yovanny Jadiel Lopez died from lack of oxygen to the brain.
A central Illinois man who pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of another man will likely spend the rest life behind bars after a judge sentenced him to 70 years in prison.
Documents released Friday detail what Advocate Christ Medical Center did wrong when a baby, cut from his mother's womb, was taken there in April.
Hours of FBI interviews, dozens of pictures and videos; that's what jurors are sifting through in the murder trial for a former University of Illinois student accused of kidnapping and killing Chinese scholar Yingying Zhang.
After nearly two months on life support, Marlen Ochoa's baby, Yovanny Lopez, has died. Yovanny was cut from his mother's womb, after two women strangled her to steal her baby.
A 16-year-old boy was shot and killed in front of his father in Gary, Indiana, when a robbery turned violent Thursday evening.
A former University of Illinois doctoral student on trial in the killing of a visiting scholar from China bought Drano and garbage bags three days after the slaying, according to testimony Thursday.
For a man who once lived for the spotlight , Simpson has generally kept a low profile since his release from prison in October 2017 after serving nine years for a robbery and kidnapping conviction in Las Vegas. He insisted his conviction and sentence for trying to steal back his own memorabilia were unfair but said: "I believe in the legal system and I honored it. I served my time."
The man who pleaded guilty to introducing a Chicago teenager to a pimp before she was murdered has been sentenced to seven years in prison.
The firefighter was taken to Stroger Hospital in unknown condition, officials said.
According to police, the 62-year-old victim was beaten and severely injured, resulting in extensive and ongoing hospitalization.
Chi Gives Back held a pop-up at Ledo High School on Sunday for its annual toy drive.
The victory pushes the Bears one step closer to their first postseason appearance since 2020.
The Bulls had nine scorers in double figures, led by Matas Buzelis with 28 points.
A government shutdown is still possible if Mayor Brandon Johnson decides to veto the spending plan.
The Justice Department released thousands of new photos and records on Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, but at least 550 pages in the documents were fully redacted.
The alternative budget proposal championed by a group of Chicago aldermen won a crucial first full City Council vote on Friday, setting up a final vote on Saturday
A Bulgarian citizen, whom federal officials say was in the U.S. illegally, was found unresponsive in his cell at a Michigan facility.
Defenders of a Wisconsin judge found guilty of felony obstruction for helping a Mexican immigrant evade federal officers are raising alarms about judicial independence and say they hope the conviction will be overturned on appeal.
A new report shines a light on electricity shortages that Illinois could face in less than 10 years.
With less than two weeks until Christmas, if you're sending gifts to people far from home, the deadlines to get them there on time are fast approaching.
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.
Millions of people with an Affordable Care Act health plan face a massive jump in premiums next year — this chart shows just how much.
It's the holiday season, which means it's the most common time of year for norovirus to spread. Here's what you need to know about this winter stomach bug.
A study conducted in part by Chicago's Northwestern Medicine found that tanning beds not only triple the risk of melanoma, but can also damage DNA across nearly the whole skin surface.
An investigation into the case of a Michigan man who contracted rabies after an organ transplant provided more details on the infection's origin.
The newest measles vaccination numbers released by Chicago Public Schools shows immunizations are finally moving in the right direction.
The Chicago Bears are expanding their search for a new stadium to Northwest Indiana, even though they already own land in Arlington Heights and have also proposed a new lakefront stadium in Chicago.
A Culver's is coming to Chicago's South Loop, a real estate broker has confirmed.
A new vision for passenger rail is on track in southeastern Wisconsin. The MARK Passenger Rail Commission held its inaugural meeting on December 5, 2025, at Racine City Hall.
U.S. Steel says it'll resume making steel slabs at its Granite City Works plant in Illinois amid strengthening demand.
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.
Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre is hosting "The Phantom of the Opera," and staff offered a firsthand look at the iconic chandelier inside the theater this week.
The special features interviews with Kathy Bates, Annette Bening, Albert Brooks, Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland, Jerry O'Connell and Mandy Patinkin.
The Oscars ceremony is moving to YouTube starting in 2029, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Wednesday.
The nearly 100-year-old cinema will close briefly after New Year's Day and reopen on Jan. 9 with a showing of Jim Jarmusch's "Father Mother Sister Brother."
Known as a popular Hollywood director, Rob Reiner also had a lengthy record of political and civic activism, especially in California.
It happened early Sunday, about 28 miles west of Johannesburg. Local police said that 12 unknown suspects in a white mini-bus and a silver sedan pulled up and opened fire, shooting randomly as they fled the scene.
This latest mutation is being called the 'super flu.' The CDC said at least 1,900 people have died from the flu this season, including two kids.
A candle projection lit up Sydney Opera House today, marking a National Day of Reflection honoring the victims of a gun attack last week. Two gunmen targeted a seaside Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and injuring dozens of others.
For a few brief moments, the sun aligns perfectly with the temple of Amun-Re, so the rays shine right through it.
Get ready for some milder temperatures to make a return that will make it feel more like the middle of fall than the beginning of winter. Meteorologist Carl Lam has the latest.
The Bears' next game will be against the 49ers on Dec. 28.
The victory pushes the Bears one step closer to their first postseason appearance since 2020.
The firefighter was taken to Stroger Hospital in unknown condition, officials said.
A United Airlines flight from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to Southern California was diverted to Rockford on Sunday.
A government shutdown is still possible if Mayor Brandon Johnson decides to veto the spending plan.
Some Chicago area hospitals are at risk of significant flooding both in and around the buildings, according to new KFF Health News/Fathom models.
Lawmakers in Springfield are looking to address the high water bills being reported in some suburbs from customers of Illinois American Water.
Electric bills in the Chicago area could go up as much as $70 in the next three years because of data centers, according to the Citizens Utility Board.
Advocates and legislators are seeking solutions and and accountability for a pattern of Chicago police arresting Black gun owners on firearms charges despite valid FOID and CCL licenses.
Homeowner and Army veteran Kaliff Chilembwe's property tax bill has seen an increase of 118%.
The Bulls had nine scorers in double figures, led by Matas Buzelis with 28 points.
The Bears' next game will be against the 49ers on Dec. 28.
Japanese third baseman Munetaka Murakami is joining the White Sox on a two-year contract worth $34 million, CBS Sports has confirmed.
DJ Moore scored the game-winning 46-yard touchdown pass from QB Caleb Williams.
Despite a solid effort, Chicago lost its fifth straight game.
A man was set to go before a judge on Sunday after he was charged in a deadly shooting in a hotel parking lot on Chicago's Southwest Side several months ago.
A Bulgarian citizen, whom federal officials say was in the U.S. illegally, was found unresponsive in his cell at a Michigan facility.
Defenders of a Wisconsin judge found guilty of felony obstruction for helping a Mexican immigrant evade federal officers are raising alarms about judicial independence and say they hope the conviction will be overturned on appeal.
Village leaders in Broadview, Illinois, voted down a proposal that would limit the setting up of additional detention centers in the area.
A grand jury this week indicted a man on charges of setting a young woman on fire on a Chicago Transit Authority train last month, and also setting a fire outside City Hall.
