To keep their seats, Cook County judges need 60% of voters to say “yes” to retaining them. 61 judges are up for retention this November. We're researching all of them for our judicial election guide — and we want your help.
If you’ve been in Cook County court recently, check to see if your judge is up for retention this fall, and tell us what voters should know about them.
Bad forensic science in the courtroom is a bigger problem than you may realize. In Illinois, flawed scientific practices at accredited crime labs have contributed to wrongful convictions. Lack of state oversight compounds the problem.
Injustice Watch is hosting a conversation moderated by senior reporter Maya Dukmasova about how we got here and what comes next.
When: Tuesday, June 23 from 5:30-7 p.m. CT
Where: Online
Program:
RSVP here: https://airtable.com/appxuo0SNj05v8jS6/pagxGecmAsUYgJCBD/form
The Department of Homeland Security issued a nationwide “Be on the Lookout” alert targeting comedian Ben Palmer, whose only offense was satire.
The BOLO, obtained by Injustice Watch through a public records request, was then shared by the Illinois State Police to a distribution list of state and local law enforcement agencies.
These alerts are typically reserved for serious threats to public safety. But Palmer was targeted for creating a fake immigration tips website; his videos showing calls with people who submitted to it have garnered millions of views on TikTok and YouTube.
Palmer said he didn’t know about the BOLO until Injustice Watch reporter Aura Bogado told him about it. He called it a “badge of honor” to be singled out by the government for his comedy, though he also expressed some concern that the monitoring on him could escalate into something more serious, like arrest.
“I don’t want to get arrested,” he said. “But it would be nice to have a footnote in the history of comedy.”
For someone who was wrongfully convicted, getting exonerated is often just the first step.
A certificate of innocence is a court document that says a person is innocent of the crime they were convicted of. In Illinois, it comes with modest state compensation, and can make it easier to get jobs and housing. Many exonerated people say these certificates are essential to starting their lives over.
A judge ultimately decides whether someone receives a certificate of innocence, and prosecutors aren’t obligated to get involved.
Injustice Watch senior reporter Dan Hinkel analyzed thousands of pages of records and found that Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke is shifting her office’s approach to certificates of innocence. Under her predecessor, Kim Foxx, prosecutors objected to 1 out of every 4 petitions filed by people cleared during her second term. During Burke’s tenure so far, prosecutors have objected to 4 out of 5 petitions, making the process take nearly twice as long.
Get to know some of the people most affected by this issue and learn more about certificates of innocence by reading the latest from us and Bolts.