Latest news with #IllinoisSupremeCourt
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Fairview Heights officer shooting suspect ‘should not have been free,' chief says
The shooting of three Fairview Heights police officers should be of 'extreme concern' for state lawmakers and judges, the city's police chief said. Elijah Thompson, who was charged with four counts of attempted murder in connection with the shooting, was scheduled to have his 24-month probation sentence on a weapons charge expire on May 17 – the same day the Fairview Heights officers were shot. 'In my opinion, this bad guy should not have been free to roam the streets,' Chief Steve Johnson said in a video posted on police department's Facebook page. 'His past violent behavior and his freedom to be on the street with a loaded firearm should be of extreme concern to our legislators, the judiciary and the criminal justice system.' Johnson did not specifically say he wanted from state lawmakers and judges but he noted the Illinois Supreme Court 'has banned law enforcement from talking about the criminal history of defendants charged in a criminal case because it could unfairly taint the jury pool.' Johnson could not be reached for comment about what changes he wants in the criminal justice system. Fairview Heights Mayor Mark Kupsky, who spoke on the video before Johnson, declined during an interview to comment on the changes sought in the criminal justice system. Johnson said in the video statement that 'any citizen' can go to the St. Clair County website to see someone's criminal history. He urged viewers to 'educate yourself.' The Belleville News-Democrat last week published details about Thompson's criminal record that can be found only in public records that are not available on the county website. Thompson, 22, of the 300 block of North 10th Street in Belleville, was charged and later indicted with four counts of attempted murder, three counts of aggravated battery and one count of resisting arrest in connection with the shooting in Fairview Heights. Thompson's previous criminal records in St. Clair County include the following: ▪ On April 30, the office of St. Clair County State's Attorney Jim Gomric filed a petition seeking to revoke Thompson's probation and requesting he be imprisoned for multiple alleged violations of his probation. ▪ A grand jury declined to indict him on May 9 on an armed robbery charge and he was released from jail. He was accused of robbing money from a man in Belleville on April 16 while carrying a firearm, according to court records. No other details of the alleged robbery were listed in the warrant. ▪ Court records show Thompson was placed on probation for 24 months on May 17, 2023, exactly two years before the Fairview Heights officers were shot. The probation was ordered after Thompson pleaded guilty to a felony charge of carrying a firearm. A criminal complaint states he carried a Beretta pistol while at the Swansea MetroLink station on Nov. 23, 2021. ▪ Records filed on Nov. 30, 2023, allege Thompson committed the felony offense of unlawful possession of methamphetamine and the misdemeanor offense of resisting a police officer on Nov. 28, 2023. The charging documents allege Thompson ran from a police officer who had been holding Thompson's arm in an attempt to arrest him. ▪ On Dec. 1, 2023, Thompson was charged with unlawful possession of controlled substance, a felony, as well as misdemeanor offenses of resisting a peace officer and obstructing a peace officer. According to charging documents, Thompson possessed oxycodone, refused to be handcuffed by two officers and refused to provide his identification information on June 14, 2023. The April 30 petition to revoke Thompson's probation includes the pending drug and resisting charges as reasons why his probation should be revoked. Thompson has a status conference scheduled for June 16 on these charges. In his video statement, Johnson praised the officers who were shot and thanked all the other agencies and the community for their support since the shooting. He said the officers have a 'long road to recovery.' 'These guardians of the democracy saw the belly of the beast and came out alive,' Johnson said. 'They came face to face in close proximity with the red eyes … of the evil wolf and survived.' Officer Molly Muennich was hit in the face and was listed in critical but stable condition in Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis after the shooting. The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police said in a statement last week that a bullet 'exited through her jaw and hit her carotid artery.' Kupsky said in an interview that Muennich remained hospitalized this week. Officer Herminio 'Tony' Raimundi was struck by gunfire in the arm and has been released from a hospital. He suffered a broken bone. Officer Andrew Ward was shot in the chest, but was spared serious injury due to the bullet-proof vest he was wearing. Charging documents allege Thompson used a Taurus GC3 9mm to shoot the Fairview Heights officers. Two other officers were injured in the struggle with Thompson. Thompson waived his right to a detention hearing and is being held in the St. Clair County Jail. In his video statement, Johnson revealed more details about the shooting on Potomac Drive than had previously been released. He said the officers had responded to a call about a 'suspicious person' who was 'lurking on the side of a house.' When officers confronted Thompson, they ordered him not to put his hands in his pockets. They then conducted a 'pat down' to see if he had any weapons on him. 'He immediately produced a semiautomatic firearm and began shooting at the officers,' Johnson said. The three officers struck by gunfire were hit 'in under just a few seconds.' 'Because of the close proximity, officers could not use their firearms in fear of striking another officer,' he said. Johnson noted Thompson was outside a home with a loaded firearm and a spare loaded magazine. 'His criminal and cowardly actions show he was only there for nefarious reasons. Without their bravery, it is unsure what would have happened inside that residence,' Johnson said of the officers.
New York Post
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Jussie Smollett posts bizarre Instagram screed proclaiming innocence and insisting he suffered hate crime attack
Hate crime hoaxer Jussie Smollett went on a bizarre Instagram rant in which he repeated his widely-debunked claim that he was the victim of a bias attack in the wake of his cushy settlement in his civil suit with the city of Chicago. 'Over six years ago, after it was reported I had been jumped, City Officials in Chicago set out to convince the public that I willfully set an assault against myself. This false narrative has left a stain on my character that will not soon disappear,' Smollett wrote on Instagram Saturday. 'These officials wanted my money and wanted my confession for something I did not do. Today, it should be clear…They have received neither.' Advertisement 3 Hate crime hoaxer Jussie Smollett went on a bizarre Instagram rant on Saturday. FilmMagic Smollett was convicted in 2021 for staging a phony hate crime against himself in Chicago in 2019, and was later sued by the Second City for $130,000 for the cost of the investigation into the bogus claims. The 'Mighty Ducks' actor and the Windy City have now settled their suit — with Smollett agreeing to donate $60,000 to two Chicago-based charitable organizations in lieu of paying the city. Advertisement The 42-year-old will donate $50,000 to nonprofit Building Brighter Futures Center for the Arts and 'an additional' $10,000 to the Chicago Torture Justice Center, according to the Instagram post. With this legal win on top of the shock overturning of his five felony charges by the Illinois Supreme Court— the 'Empire' actor is now celebrating what he called his 'innocence.' 'However, despite arduous and expensive attempts to punish me, I am innocent in the eyes of God and our criminal justice system,' Smollett wrote in the post. 'I will continue creating my art, fighting passionately for causes I hold dear and defending my integrity and family name with the truth,' he continued. Advertisement 3 Jussie Smollett was sentenced to five months behind bars after being convicted of staging a hate crime against himself. via REUTERS 3 A still image from surveillance video on January 2019 showed two men who Smollett allegedly staged the phony hate crime with. REUTERS 'To everyone who has supported me, thank you. Your prayers and belief in me mean more than words can properly express,' he wrote, concluding, 'With Love & Respect, Jussie Smollett.' Despite Smollett's crowing over his legal success in the Illinois State Supreme Court, state officials claim that the overturning of the conviction did not mean the 'Alien: Covenant' actor was telling the truth. Advertisement 'Make no mistake: Today's ruling has nothing to do with Mr. Smollett's innocence,' special prosecutor Dan Webb said in a statement at the time. 'The Illinois Supreme Court did not find any error with the overwhelming evidence presented at trial… or the jury's unanimous verdict that Mr. Smollett was guilty of five counts of felony disorderly conduct,' Webb stated. The charges were overturned on Fifth Amendment rights violation, as Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx decided to drop the charges against Smollett after he was initially hit with 16 felony counts stemming from the bogus hate crime police report.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hon. Rita Garman named AMBUCS 92nd 'First Citizen'
The Honorable Justice Rita B. Garman has been selected AMBUCS 92nd First Citizen — an award given to 'leaders in the community who selflessly sacrifice of themselves for the greater good,' according to the AMBUCS website. Beyond serving as a circuit judge and Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, Garman has spent her life serving her community in a myriad of ways. Public Servant, Judge, and Justice Garman, who was raised in Aurora, began her career as a legal aid attorney, later becoming an assistant state's attorney. She served for 49 years on the bench in Illinois, retiring in 2022 as the longest-serving female judge in Illinois' history. Garman was first appointed associate judge in Vermilion County in 1974, then elected as a circuit judge in 1986 and appointed to the Fourth District Appellate Court in 1995. She later served on the Illinois Supreme Court for 21 years, including three years as Chief Justice from 2013-2016. Governor J.B. Pritzker named Garman to the Order of Lincoln in 2024 — the highest civilian honor in Illinois, given to those who have displayed notable career achievement and public service. Garman was the first female judge in the Fifth Judicial Circuit, the first female circuit judge, the first female justice on the Fourth District Appellate Court. During her time on the Supreme Court of Illinois, she became the first Chief Justice to have served at every level of the Illinois judiciary — associate judge, circuit judge, presiding circuit judge, appellate justice, presiding appellate justice, supreme court justice, and chief justice, according to Supreme Court Justice Lisa Holder White. As a Supreme Court Justice, Garman helped start a committee on child custody cases, to help ensure a more expedient process. All told, Garman has received many awards recognizing her service as a judge and justice — the Illinois Judges Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the Harold Sullivan Award for Judicial Excellence, the Person of the Year Award from Chicago Lawyer Magazine, the Spirit of Lincoln Award from the Abraham Lincoln Association, the Public Interest Law Initiative Distinguished Public Service Award, and the Myra Bradwell Award from the Women's Bar Association of Illinois. Community Service Beyond her time serving as a judge and justice, Garman also served her community by singing in the choir at St. James United Methodist Church, as well as taking part in church committees. Garman has also served on the Vermilion County 708 Mental Health board — a group which plans, reviews, and evaluates community programs and facilities providing mental health, substance abuse, and developmental disabilities services to the residents of Vermilion County, according to the Vermilion County website. Justice Garman was also one of the first women to serve on the Danville Noon Rotary Club. Arts Patron & Advocate Garman has spent her life dedicated to the arts, as well, serving on the board of directors for the Danville Symphony Orchestra. She was even named Emeritus Board Member. In 1987, she established the John Sanders Scholarship — a scholarship named after an English teacher that worked at Danville High School. Of Garman, Patrick Halloran — Chair of AMBUCS' First Citizen board — said she is a 'pioneer, a visionary, a well-respected member of the Illinois Bar Association, a selfless example of service, a luminary in our community, we are incredibly proud to recognize this amazing woman.' '[Garman] exemplifies the definition of what it means to be a First Citizen by choosing to make a positive impact within the Danville community and for all who encounter her exceptional presence,' Halloran said. A dinner honoring Justice Garman will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 29, at the Turtle Run banquet center. The dinner is open to the public and $35 tickets can be purchased at the door.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hon. Rita Garman named AMBUCS 92nd 'First Citizen'
The Honorable Justice Rita B. Garman has been selected AMBUCS 92nd First Citizen — an award given to 'leaders in the community who selflessly sacrifice of themselves for the greater good,' according to the AMBUCS website. Beyond serving as a circuit judge and Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, Garman has spent her life serving her community in a myriad of ways. Public Servant, Judge, and Justice Garman, who was raised in Aurora, began her career as a legal aid attorney, later becoming an assistant state's attorney. She served for 49 years on the bench in Illinois, retiring in 2022 as the longest-serving female judge in Illinois' history. Garman was first appointed associate judge in Vermilion County in 1974, then elected as a circuit judge in 1986 and appointed to the Fourth District Appellate Court in 1995. She later served on the Illinois Supreme Court for 21 years, including three years as Chief Justice from 2013-2016. Governor J.B. Pritzker named Garman to the Order of Lincoln in 2024 — the highest civilian honor in Illinois, given to those who have displayed notable career achievement and public service. Garman was the first female judge in the Fifth Judicial Circuit, the first female circuit judge, the first female justice on the Fourth District Appellate Court. During her time on the Supreme Court of Illinois, she became the first Chief Justice to have served at every level of the Illinois judiciary — associate judge, circuit judge, presiding circuit judge, appellate justice, presiding appellate justice, supreme court justice, and chief justice, according to Supreme Court Justice Lisa Holder White. As a Supreme Court Justice, Garman helped start a committee on child custody cases, to help ensure a more expedient process. All told, Garman has received many awards recognizing her service as a judge and justice — the Illinois Judges Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the Harold Sullivan Award for Judicial Excellence, the Person of the Year Award from Chicago Lawyer Magazine, the Spirit of Lincoln Award from the Abraham Lincoln Association, the Public Interest Law Initiative Distinguished Public Service Award, and the Myra Bradwell Award from the Women's Bar Association of Illinois. Community Service Beyond her time serving as a judge and justice, Garman also served her community by singing in the choir at St. James United Methodist Church, as well as taking part in church committees. Garman has also served on the Vermilion County 708 Mental Health board — a group which plans, reviews, and evaluates community programs and facilities providing mental health, substance abuse, and developmental disabilities services to the residents of Vermilion County, according to the Vermilion County website. Justice Garman was also one of the first women to serve on the Danville Noon Rotary Club. Arts Patron & Advocate Garman has spent her life dedicated to the arts, as well, serving on the board of directors for the Danville Symphony Orchestra. She was even named Emeritus Board Member. In 1987, she established the John Sanders Scholarship — a scholarship named after an English teacher that worked at Danville High School. Of Garman, Patrick Halloran — Chair of AMBUCS' First Citizen board — said she is a 'pioneer, a visionary, a well-respected member of the Illinois Bar Association, a selfless example of service, a luminary in our community, we are incredibly proud to recognize this amazing woman.' '[Garman] exemplifies the definition of what it means to be a First Citizen by choosing to make a positive impact within the Danville community and for all who encounter her exceptional presence,' Halloran said. A dinner honoring Justice Garman will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 29, at the Turtle Run banquet center. The dinner is open to the public and $35 tickets can be purchased at the door.
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Jussie Smollett ends 2019 hate-crime hoax saga with $50K charity donation
has settled with the city of Chicago over the 2019 'hate crime ' hoax furor. The disgraced actor agreed to pay $50,000 to charity, six years after the city's law department first began pursuing him over the allegedly staged attack. Smollet was convicted in December 2021 of lying to police about an alleged homophobic attack by two men wearing MAGA hats. The former Empire actor's conviction was overturned l ast year due to a due process violation. The city of Chicago's Law Department filed a civil lawsuit against him in 2019 to recover more than $130,000 in costs incurred investigating his allegedly staged attack, after he failed to meet a city-imposed payment deadline. The terms of his settlement require that Smollett, 42, pays $50,000 to a charity of his choice, instead of paying the six-figures in restitution for the investigation, as per TMZ. Smollett has already chosen his charity, and donated the $50,000 to the Building Better Futures Center for the Arts organization in Chicago. A judge has yet to sign off to make it official. Building Better Futures Center for the Arts provides mental health support, art, music, and acting training for underprivileged youth in Chicago. Smollett had his conviction for lying to the police with a bizarre anti-Trump hoax overturned in a sensational ruling from the Illinois Supreme Court last November. The court found that the actor had his rights violated by a special prosecutor's decision to retry him after initial charges against him were dropped with an agreement that he would not be re-charged. He was sentenced to 150 days in jail and 30 months' probation after it was proven that he fabricated the episode, and he was also slapped with a fine of $130,160. Smollett appealed the ruling and has not yet served a day of that sentence behind bars, even after his conviction was previously affirmed by a lower court in 2023 before the Supreme Court agreed to hear his appeal. The actor's hoax and later arrest sparked a media firestorm years ago, as it was found he had actually paid two Nigerian brothers - Abel and Ola Osundairo - to stage the incident. When Smollett first came forward with his story, the actor was met with widespread support, and the Chicago PD vowed to swiftly find his attackers. Smollett even showed police the noose that he claimed he was almost lynched with. Although Smollett claimed he was attacked by two white Trump supporters, detectives reviewed surveillance footage and zeroed in on the Osundairo brothers as suspects. When presented with a grainy surveillance picture of the brothers near the scene, Smollett said they were 'absolutely' the men who attacked him, not realizing they had already been arrested. One of his attorneys, Tina Glandian, claimed that Smollett may have misidentified the brothers - who he had also just been on the phone with moments before - because they could have been 'in disguise' in white makeup. She went on to point to a 2016 YouTube video of Abel Osundairo, the brother in question, where he is wearing white make-up to perform a Joker monologue for Halloween as proof of her theory. By that time, stories had leaked that detectives believed Smollett had concocted the story, seemingly in an attempt boost his public profile. Smollett went on Good Morning America to tearfully insist he was the victim, but by February 2019, a month after the incident, he was arrested and charged with filing a false police report, and his character from Empire was halted. However, despite a grand jury indicting him for repeatedly lying to cops, the charges against Smollett were then sensationally dropped a month later in March, sparking outrage from the public. President Trump led the backlash as he decried the charges being dropped as an 'embarrassment to the nation,' while Chicago Police Chief Eddie Johnson, who is Black, said at the time: 'Jussie Smollett took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career.' The Mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, said it amounted to a 'whitewash of justice' that proved Smollett was treated gently by the system because he is a celebrity and a prominent figure in the city. After he was fined $140,000 for wasting police resources, a special prosecutor was named to investigate why the charges against Smollett were dropped. It was this decision that has now led to Smollett's ultimate conviction to be overturned, as it was found his rights were violated because Smollett had agreed with prosecutors that he would not be re-charged at the time after the case against him was dropped. In February 2020 Smollett was indicted again on felony lying to police, and following a contentious trial where he maintained his innocence, Smollett was convicted at the conclusion of his trial in 2021. Smollett again sparked a backlash during his conviction hearing, as he triumphantly raised his fist to appear defiant, despite being caught in a lie. When the Illinois Supreme Court handed down the ruling to overturn that conviction, Chief Justice Theis and Justice Cunningham recused themselves from the decision. The court's opinion pointed to the agreement Smollett had with Illinois prosecutors after his charges were dropped. 'We are aware that this case has generated significant public interest and that many people were dissatisfied with the resolution of the original case and believed it to be unjust,' the opinion read. 'Nevertheless, what would be more unjust than the resolution of any one criminal case would be a holding from this court that the State was not bound to honor agreements upon which people have detrimentally relied.' Smollett is known for his role as Jamal Lyon on the Fox drama series Empire, where he starred from 2015 to 2019.
