Mother Of Man Who Killed Chinese Scholar Begs For His Life
The mother of a former University of Illinois student convicted of killing a Chinese scholar told the jury deciding his fate that it would be horrible if he is put to death.
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The mother of a former University of Illinois student convicted of killing a Chinese scholar told the jury deciding his fate that it would be horrible if he is put to death.
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.
A federal judge will allow jurors at the sentencing hearing of a former University of Illinois doctoral student to watch videos made by the mother and friends of the Chinese scholar he was convicted of kidnapping, torturing and killing.
Authorities say a Peoria man died after a 40-foot tree limb fell and struck him during a storm.
Brendt Christensen, who was found guilty Monday in the kidnapping and killing of Yingying Zhang, spoke about harming others months before he killed Zhang.
The remains of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen have been removed from St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York and are on their way to central Illinois.
Michelle Zortman described her ex-husband as a man with a bad drinking problem that derailed their marriage.
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.
A federal prosecutor has shared with jurors grisly details of how they claim a former University of Illinois doctoral student kidnapped a visiting scholar from China, then brutally beat and killed her.
Opening statements are set for Wednesday in the death-penalty trial of a former University of Illinois graduate student charged with kidnapping, torturing and killing a visiting Chinese scholar, a case closely watched by Chinese students across the U.S.
A jury has been selected in the trial of a former graduate student accused of kidnapping and killing a University of Illinois scholar from China.
A lawyer for a Chinese family attending the U.S. trial of an ex-University of Illinois student charged with killing their daughter says he has been explaining to them how the American justice system works.
State climate experts say Illinois had the third wettest May on record and it was the sixth-consecutive month with above-average rainfall.
Bradley University posted a job opening for an Assistant Director of Diversity and Inclusion, however, the the job description stated the candidate "must be able to access non-ADA compliant building."
Angela Farnan has helped care for the tiniest patients in Peoria for more than 30 years, but when one mother said she could no longer care for her newborn, the pediatric intensive care nurse went above and beyond.
U.S. bishops are holding a retreat outside Chicago for "prayer and reflection" upon the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church.
Their son, Jose Ramirez, has also been charged in their deaths. The 21-year-old allegedly beat and stabbed them to death.
The bodies of Bradley University professor Susan Brill De Ramirez and her husband, Antonio Ramirez Barron were found near the Spoon River Bridge in Henry County, Ill., authorities said.
Authorities say a Peoria police officer fatally shot a 19-year-old man who fled from a vehicle after a traffic stop in the central Illinois city.
The lawsuit filed in federal court in Peoria late Sunday alleges officers shot Edward Russell Jr. at least 17 times as he lifted a garage door at the family's Peoria home with both hands. He was a suspect in a bank robbery.
A 16-year-old male has been charged with murder for a shooting that left a Bradley University student from Chicago and a Peoria man dead.
Federal law enforcement officials on Thursday executed search warrants at three Caterpillar locations, including the corporate headquarters in Peoria.
Senior Chief Petty Officer William "Ryan" Owens was the first U.S. combat casualty since President Donald Trump took office in January.
After nearly a century in central Illinois, Caterpillar Inc. has abandoned plans to build a new headquarters complex in Peoria, and has announced it is moving its corporate offices to Chicago.
The U.S. Navy sailor who died over the weekend in a raid against al-Quaida has been identified as a sailor from Peoria.
A year ago on Friday, Robert Prevost went from a relatively unknown cardinal to the pope, news that shocked and excited Chicago and the world.
Three baby bald eagles were recently born in Chicago, the first time the national bird of the United States has hatched in the city in more than a century.
A man has been arrested on a slew of felony charges after jumping out of a moving van after fleeing a traffic stop while officers were inside his vehicle on Tuesday in northwest Indiana.
Los Angeles police are looking for a driver who struck and killed a Chicago Cubs fan in town for a game last month.
After accusations flew in dueling legal filings earlier this week, a federal judge on Thursday officially dismissed the main conspiracy charge against the remaining "Broadview Six" immigration protesters indicted last fall.
Three of the nation's major scholarly groups challenged the Trump administration's cuts to humanities grants.
Since his second term started, President Trump has introduced a flurry of initiatives aimed at taming the excesses of the pharmaceutical industry.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and other mayors are asking Illinois lawmakers to increase the share of income tax revenue that goes to local governments.
President Trump had backed challengers to Indiana state senators who voted against his redistricting plan — and on Tuesday, most of them won.
Indiana voters are choosing nominees for the U.S. House under existing district boundaries during Tuesday's primary elections.
Chatham residents say they're losing a vital resource as Walgreen's prepares to close its store near 86th and Cottage Grove.
According to AAA, the average price of a gallon of regular gas in Chicago was $5.17 on Friday, up from $3.75 a year ago.
Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas Company customers are likely to see minor credits on their bills for the next three years, thanks to a $125 million settlement agreement announced Thursday by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
Chicago gas prices are spiking as the war with Iran drags on, with regular gas nearing $6 in some spots and premium already selling for more than $7 in some places.
In the legal venue of anti-trust enforcement, the state is not taking on the Trump administration, but rather filling a void that state officials say the Trump administration has vacated.
The largest U.S. health insurer said it will eliminate approval requirements for some treatments, including select outpatient surgeries and other procedures.
Thirty years ago, Advocate Children's Hospital created a specialized team to transport the smallest patients to get life-saving care. On the anniversary of the Neonatal Pediatric Transport Team, they unveiled some a new ambulance.
The second-largest physicians' group in the U.S. has issued a surprising switch in breast cancer screening recommendations.
A new $48 million wellness center opened Thursday in the West Garfield Park neighborhood. The goal is to improve the health and quality of life for people on the West Side of Chicago.
La Rabida Children's Hospital went all out for Earth Day on Wednesday, with volunteer cleanup efforts by staffers and activities for patients and families.
U.S. prosecutors allege a man with multiple aliases used the name of the famed Astor family to scam a Mexican billionaire out of $450 million.
Thousands of people marched from the West Loop to Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago on Friday for May Day, with activists calling for workers' rights, stronger labor protections, and increased school funding.
A $170 million-plus plan announced this week will redevelop the Water Tower Place mall on the Magnificent Mile.
The Holiday Club in Chicago's Buena Park neighborhood will soon be going out of business, as the building that houses the popular bar is set to be torn down.
At a meeting on Tuesday, the Lincolnwood Village Board approved a pre-development agreement with the mall, providing a roadmap with the property owner for further preparations and government approvals for redevelopment.
David Allan Coe also had hits with "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" and "The Ride" among others.
Some youngsters got a behind-the-scenes look at the magic of making opera Sunday at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Matt DeCaro, an actor who was a familiar face on the Chicago stage for many years, died this weekend.
Jake was at the funeral for one of his closest friends when he learned of his parents' deaths, he said.
Tickets for the 2026 Ravinia Festival season went on sale Thursday morning.
Chief meteorologist Albert Ramon has the latest First Alert Weather forecast.
A year ago on Friday, Robert Prevost went from a relatively unknown cardinal to the pope, news that shocked and excited Chicago and the world. One year after he became leader of the Catholic Church, a lot of people from the Chicago area have visited the man now known as Pope Leo XIV.
Three baby bald eagles were recently born in Chicago, the first time the national bird of the United States has hatched in the city in more than a century.
Officials with the World Health Organization have confirmed that of the eight suspected hantavirus cases linked to a Dutch cruise ship, five were infected with the Andes strain of the virus, the only known hantavirus strain to spread person-to-person.
Los Angeles police are looking for a driver who struck and killed a Chicago Cubs fan in town for a game last month.
A nationwide Canvas outage has been reported, and is impacting schools in the Chicago area, including Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, UIC and the University of Illinois.
A year ago on Friday, Robert Prevost went from a relatively unknown cardinal to the pope, news that shocked and excited Chicago and the world.
Three baby bald eagles were recently born in Chicago, the first time the national bird of the United States has hatched in the city in more than a century.
A man has been arrested on a slew of felony charges after jumping out of a moving van after fleeing a traffic stop while officers were inside his vehicle on Tuesday in northwest Indiana.
Los Angeles police are looking for a driver who struck and killed a Chicago Cubs fan in town for a game last month.
A man from the Chicago suburbs lost $69,000 of his savings to a scam by a thief using an AI-generated U.S. Marshals badge to intimidate him.
Illinois lawmakers are trying to decide what should happen when artificial intelligence leads to serious destruction or even death, and two of the most influential AI companies in the world are backing opposing state bills trying to answer that question.
Rideshare drivers say it's getting difficult to continue working as gas prices surpass $6 in the city.
More than four months after a Chicago woman battling ALS was told she couldn't get a disabled parking placard in front of her home, the sign is up and her life is about to change.
An elderly woman has essentially abandoned her home of three decades because of constantly broken elevators at her high-rise condo building on the Southwest Side of Chicago.
Michael Conforto went 3 for 3 with a homer and two RBIs, Shota Imanaga pitched six innings of one-run ball and the Chicago Cubs extended their winning streak to nine games with an 8-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds.
In May 2019, Bridgett Kolls came to a Cubs game with a simple sign that read "this lil cubbie needs a kidney" and her phone number. It caught the attention of Allesio, who is a Chicago White Sox fan
The Cubs also won their 14th straight home game for their longest win streak at Wrigley Field since they also won 14 in a row at the iconic ballpark in 2008.
Travis d'Arnaud hit a three-run homer, Walbert Ureña threw six innings of two-hit ball, and the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Chicago White Sox 8-2.
Boyd had an MRI that showed a meniscus issue, and manager Craig Counsell said the team isn't sure how long the left-hander is going to be out.
Police across Chicago and the northern suburbs were investigating a string of overnight smash-and-grab burglaries targeting businesses.
A teenager has been charged with shooting and killing his father inside their home in southwest suburban Oak Lawn following an argument on Monday.
The Mexican navy helped rescue shipwrecked sailors and retrieve bales of illicit drugs that had been dumped into the ocean.
A man was killed on Tuesday night in a shooting less than a block from an elementary school in the West Englewood neighborhood.
A 17-year-old boy has died after police said he was stabbed by another teen over the weekend in southwest suburban Joliet.
