Dispatches from Chicago's south side.
[VIDEO] Since he was mentioned in the comments on this blog we hear from Chief Cook County Judge Timothy Evans on Chicago Tonight who answering to the criticism of Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Supt. David Brown as far as the recent spike in crime. The Mayor and Supt believes the courts aren't upholding their part in upholding the law even as police officers are taking people charged with murder off the street.
A federal judge on Tuesday approved Chicago's request for a delay of six months to allow the city time to craft a new gun sales ordinance.PREVIOUS POSTS
Federal Judge Edward E. Chang approved the 180-day delay. Chang had ruled Jan. 6 that the city's ban on gun sales was unconstitutional, and Monday was deadline for the city appeal the ruling.
Instead, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration decided to seek the six month delay in its implementation, rather than fight Chang's ruling.
Monday was the last day for the city to appeal the ruling, but in yet another example of the city's recognition that it cannot keep guns out of the hands of its residents, attorneys instead filed a motion asking for the 180 days "to enact reasonable and comprehensive regulations governing firearms sales and transfers that will protect public safety while also respecting Second Amendment rights."
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The city said it needed the six months to allow gun sales because any ordinance will "have many detailed components, including zoning, licensing, and operational requirements for gun dealers, as well as robust regulations targeting illegal sales and transfer practices ..." The motion also said it will take time for the City Council to enact an ordinance.
Worlee posted on his blog last night that former Ald. Lyle is to be appointed a circuit court judge in Cook County to fill a vacancy on the second subcircut of Cook County that was originally filled by Michael Stuttley. The Tribune tells us more about Lyle's future plans as a judge:“I am proud to serve the community in a new area, and it keeps my intellectual juices flowing,” Lyle said of her appointment, adding that she does not plan to run in the March primary for judge but would consider filling another vacancy if one opened up.It's also expected that she will give up her position as the attorney for the city council's Black Caucus within the next week. In her capacity with the Black Caucus she had been working on the remap effort.
Chicago is a city of haves and have-nots when it comes to police protection, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday.You think this lawsuit is worthwhile. Could it result in more police on this part of town?
The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois sued in Cook County Circuit Court, saying the city is failing to deploy cops equitably across the city’s neighborhoods.
The number of backlogged 911 calls is unevenly large in neighborhoods with the biggest minority populations, the lawsuit said.
“Disproportionate numbers of delays in 911 calls have a devastating effect on a neighborhood,” said Harvey Grossman, an ACLU attorney.
On Thursday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said he understands the basis for the lawsuit. But he said he’s sought to add resources to high-crime districts since he took office.
“We’re ahead of where we were on May 15. We’re not done applying our resources — by holding commanders accountable or applying manpower. But it is not just manpower alone.”
UPDATED 6:26 PM Emanuel files an emergency motion to stay the Appellate Court Ruling pending appeal via Capitol Fax.Look for a big crowd —and some verrry contentious debate — on Tuesday morning when the U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments on whether to overturn Chicago's ordinance banning most private possession of handguns in the city.This is also of note from that piece:
The 30-year-old measure has intense local support. Not only Mayor Richard M. Daley but four area members of Congress joined Chicago police chief Jody Weis on Monday at a press conference defending the law.
But most insiders expect the court to veto the law as it overturned a similar statute in Washington, D.C., a year ago. The only real question likely is how far the court goes to affect related laws, such as measures limiting who can carry concealed weapons on the street.
As Mr. Daley put it, "Cities and states should be able to decide for themselves how to protect their citizens."Well while I think I should be allowed to own a handgun at home, I can't disagree with that. The question that should be answered is how far should a city or state go in banning guns? Should there be a total ban allowed or can it be decided that gun owners shouldn't own certain types of guns?
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.I understand that people will look at the term "militia" and then assume that this means a collective right. That you have to sign up for the Reserves or the National Guard or something like that in order to bear arms. Indeed there are those who have more trust in military or police to handle guns in our society. Although there are those who may have little faith or trust in our military personnel or the police to handle their weapons and their authority to use arms.
Amid the clamor of the gun-rights debate, McDonald presents a strongly sympathetic figure: an elderly man who wants a gun to protect himself from the hoodlums preying upon his neighborhood. But the story of McDonald and his lawsuit is more complicated than its broad outlines might suggest. McDonald and three co-plaintiffs were carefully recruited by gun-rights groups attempting to shift the public perception of the Second Amendment as a white, rural Republican issue. McDonald, a Democrat and longtime hunter, jokes that he was chosen as lead plaintiff because he is African-American.Read the whole thing while it's still available. It's a good story.
And no matter what the court — and the public — might make of his story or his case, legal experts say McDonald is poised to become an enduring symbol.
"Regardless of how this case goes, Mr. McDonald's name is set in legal history, at the same level as Roe v. Wade and Plessy v. Ferguson," said Nicholas Johnson, a law professor at Fordham University. "Schoolkids are going to recognize that in this case, something dramatic happened."
Today at branch 50 Judge Ann O'Donnell truley demonstrated she does not give a fuck about the police. In a case where a female offender pulled and pointed a loaded gun at a police officer. The judge found probable cause, but reduced bail because the family couldn't raise enough to get her out for her graduation. and with the state objecting. The judge thought it was more important to let a potential cop killer go to graduation and reduced the bond. It makes me sick as well as all the officers present. Please get this out to all the readers. This judge has no business being a judge.I would say that this young lady shouldn't have had bail reduced especially since this case could have resulted in murder. The message on this should be clear. That's just my opinion however.
Thank you
All of these Judges are Black. Is the Alderman in support of removing them from their seats?Response from the Alderman who said she's been busy with the Hudson murders and City Hall budget hearings:
The recommendations I made and passed out on a sample ballot encourage the voters to vote for each of these Black Judges. It is always interesting to see the main stream media routinely recommend and endorse Judges who are disrespectful to Black litigants, abusive to Black lawyers, and generally unwilling or too lazy to keep abreast of the changes in the law. As a result I usually discount most of their recommendation regarding Black Judges. While there is at least one Black Judge on my list that needs to work on their performance those shortcomings are not sufficient to call for that person's removal from the bench.There you have it!
Voters casting ballots for county, state and federal lawmakers in the General Election on Nov. 4 are reminded to continue towards the end of the ballot and vote for 70 nonpartisan judges looking to fill or retain judgeships.
Because judges do not have opponents, voters must cast a “yes” or “no” vote. Each judge seeking retention must receive at least a 60 percent “yes” vote to remain on the bench.
Retention judges preside over thousands of cases filed each year in Cook County. The cases include issues challenging the judicial system, child custody, criminal matters and divorce.
Among the 64 judges rated “Qualified” by the Chicago Bar Association are Diane Gordon Cannon, Sharon Johnson Coleman and Shelli Williams-Hayes.
Federal Court Judge Virginia Kendall said Cook County's central bond court is a mess, that's where suspects have their first hearing after arrest. Civil rights attorney Locke Bowman agrees that county judges are dropping the ball there.
BOWMAN: They have the frontline responsibility to make the decision who stays in jail awaiting trial and who doesn't. They are doing an abysmal job performing that function.
Bowman says the judges are just locking everyone up. He says they need to identify defendants who don't pose a threat and release them, that would eliminate persistent overcrowding at the jail. Bowman and attorneys for the people who run the jail say the state judiciary has been unresponsive to their requests to sit down and figure out a solution to overcrowding.
Chief Judge Timothy Evans says he's all for beefing up pre-trial services, the division that would identify harmless defendants who could be released while awaiting trial. He says he's asked the county board for funding but plans to move ahead regardless.
The Illinois State Rifle Association, together with Second Amendment Foundation and several individual plaintiffs, filed suit against the City of Chicago in federal court this morning at 9:15 CDT. More information will be made available in a statement from the attorneys tomorrow.Via The Capitol Fax in this post with a great discussion about this decision and the role of the courts in interpreting the law. Some might say legislating from the bench or judicial activism but I'm sure there are some court followers who have their own opinions on that.
