Chicago

More than 40 states currently have a felony murder law, which juvenile justice advocates believe unfairly impacts young people. Some lawmakers in states such as Illinois and California have sought to enact reform.

National

Juvenile Justice Groups Say Felony Murder Charges Harm Children, Young Adults

2:59pm November 14, 2019

by Cheryl Corley

In most states, a person who commits a property crime can face a felony murder charge if it results in someone being killed, even unintentionally. Juvenile justice advocates say the law is unfair.

Teachers, staff and their supporters marched through downtown Chicago on Monday to show support for the teachers union.

Chicago Cancels Public School Classes As Teachers' Strike Looms

5:58pm October 16, 2019

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Wednesday that she expects the teachers union to move ahead with a strike after a contract agreement wasn't reached.

John Dillinger (center) strikes a jaunty pose after his capture in Crown Point, Ind., in February 1934. His niece and nephew hope to exhume the gangster's body to conduct forensic tests.

National

John Dillinger's Relatives Say They Have 'Evidence' The Buried Body May Not Be His

7:41pm August 01, 2019

by Vanessa Romo

"I have been presented with evidence that demonstrates that the individual who was shot and killed ... may not in fact have been my uncle," his nephew, Mike Thompson, said in an affidavit.

An alligator that eluded capture for a week in a Chicago park is now in custody, officials announced Tuesday. The gator is seen here in an image provided by Chicago Animal Care and Control.

National

Chance The Snapper Is Snared: Alligator Caught After A Wild Week In Chicago Park

4:49pm July 16, 2019

by Bill Chappell

It took some 36 hours of looking in Humboldt Park's lagoon, but a Florida alligator specialist finally brought in an animal that had become something of a celebrity in Chicago.

A volunteer with the Chicago Herpetological Society known as Alligator Bob sets out in his canoe to find an alligator on the loose in a Chicago lagoon this week.

National

An Alligator Surfaces At A Chicago Lagoon And A City Snaps To Attention

4:58pm July 11, 2019

by Amy Held

The alligator was spotted in a city park on Tuesday but has so far managed to evade capture, despite the efforts of a local wrangler known as Alligator Bob.

Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx speaks at a news conference in February.

National

State's Attorney Closely Followed Smollett Case After Recusal, Text Messages Show

10:46am April 17, 2019

In the messages, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx expresses concern with heavy-handed charging of Empire star Jussie Smollett, compared to other defendants accused of more serious crimes.

Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot celebrates Tuesday during her election night party in Chicago.

Chicago Mayor-Elect Lori Lightfoot Says City Has 'Fractured Relationship' With Police

3:03pm April 03, 2019

by Vanessa Romo

Lightfoot, the city's first black female mayor, told NPR that Chicago's police department has "left many people feeling like the police are an illegitimate occupying force."

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Jussie Smollett leaves a Chicago courthouse Tuesday, shortly after prosecutors dropped all charges against him. The move was met with anger from local authorities and confusion from plenty of onlookers.

Making Sense Of The Smollett Legal Drama: What's Going On Here?

8:15pm March 27, 2019

by Colin Dwyer

Fair warning: There are questions we just can't answer at this point. But there are also plenty we can. Here's an attempt to explain the charges against the Empire actor — and the move to drop them.

Chicago's top prosecutor, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, recused herself from the investigation before Empire actor Jussie Smollett was charged.

'We Cannot Be Driven By Emotions': Top Chicago Prosecutor Defends Smollett Decision

6:27pm March 27, 2019

In an interview with WBEZ, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx explains why her office suddenly dropped charges against the actor.

Actor Jussie Smollett after his court appearance at Leighton Courthouse on March 26, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. This morning in court it was announced that all charges were dropped against the actor.

The Jussie Smollett Allegations: A Timeline Of What Happened When

5:55pm March 27, 2019

by Colin Dwyer

A lot has happened in roughly two months — from the Empire actor's initial police report in Chicago to prosecutors' decision to drop the charges against him. Here's a brief history of the key dates.