Nice Job Anita!
Before we even quote the article, let's just lay this out there - Police CANNOT charge felonies in Cook County. Almost every single felony charge must go through Felony Review, a construct unique to Cook County and Rockford if we aren't mistaken.
It is a method that appears to let the Cook County State's Attorney "try" a case before a judge is even involved, thereby leading to a supposedly higher conviction rate and greasing the skids for reelection chances. It also provides countless well paying patronage jobs for the connected bottom-of-the-barrel law school grads who can't find actual employment or don't want to spend years researching legal briefs.
It also leads to a dismal prosecution rate of felonies, everything being bargained down to misdemeanors or labeled "continuing investigation" while clearance rates hover around 25%.
Once again, Anita's minions cost people their lives:
It is a method that appears to let the Cook County State's Attorney "try" a case before a judge is even involved, thereby leading to a supposedly higher conviction rate and greasing the skids for reelection chances. It also provides countless well paying patronage jobs for the connected bottom-of-the-barrel law school grads who can't find actual employment or don't want to spend years researching legal briefs.
It also leads to a dismal prosecution rate of felonies, everything being bargained down to misdemeanors or labeled "continuing investigation" while clearance rates hover around 25%.
Once again, Anita's minions cost people their lives:
- An alleged arsonist accused of setting a fire that killed his girlfriend and daughter on the West Side last week threatened almost exactly the same deed just three months ago.
Nathaniel Beller filled his bathtub with gasoline and threatened to torch his 4-year-old daughter Neriyah and 9-year-old son Naciere during a tense standoff with Cicero Police on Sept. 9, but neither police nor the Cook County State’s Attorney charged him.
Quickly freed after a psychiatric evaluation, the career criminal allegedly made good on his chilling threat at his mom’s house Saturday. Chicago Police say the mentally ill 29-year-old poured an accelerant on both children and their mother, Taniya Johnson, then started a fire that claimed the lives of Neriyah and Johnson as well as his own.
And the excuse given?
- Andy Conklin, a spokesman for the Cook County State’s Attorney office, confirmed that prosecutors declined to file felony charges, in part because Johnson refused to sign a criminal complaint. He declined further explanation of why Beller wasn’t charged.
Here's a funny little quirk of the law. If a police officer responding to a domestic situation sees cuts, bruising or obvious trauma on a victim, and the victim refuses to sign complaints against his/her abuser because they are afraid of further abuse, the officer is obligated under the law to sign complaints on behalf of the victim. Failure to do so subjects the officer to possible criminal and internal charges, termination and jail time.
But Anita's office can accept a victim's refusal to sign complaints to charge an asshole who has a 9-year-old standing in a tub filled with gasoline and the fallout is........what exactly? Oh yeah, a dead woman, a dead 4-year-old and a 9-year-old whose chances of survival are currently less than 50%.
But Anita's office can accept a victim's refusal to sign complaints to charge an asshole who has a 9-year-old standing in a tub filled with gasoline and the fallout is........what exactly? Oh yeah, a dead woman, a dead 4-year-old and a 9-year-old whose chances of survival are currently less than 50%.
Labels: un-fucking-believable
posted by SCC at 12:04 AM
141 Comments:
It is not unique to only Cook County and Rockford. That is one of the biggest myths that float around our department. As much as we despise it and complain to each other we are the only ones that have to use "felony review", in fact, every county in the State of Illinois has one form or another of felony review. Check around with the other counties, they all have it SCC.
Just recently...two repeat offenders burglarize a police officer's home near 103rd and California in the Beverly neighborhood. Evergreen Park and Chicago Police capture both offenders. No burglary charges. Theft on one of the guys. If the tax paying citizens only knew of this bullshit with felony review. Every cop in Cook County has a story to tell about felony review...how they refused to charge a felony when the crime committed was a felony. Even state troopers have horror stories about Cook County felony review. The states attorney's office definitely has blood on their hands...multiple times over. All of these hotshots want 100% conviction rates and will not charge felonies when they should.
I wounder if they are considering banning gasoline. Just asking.
My thoughts and pryers go out to the victim's.
It's very sad, but it's the norm in chicago cook county. Crime pays here and no one gets the full force of the law. Politicians like Alverez have hurt this county badly for politics. God help anyone that is a victim in this shithole.
SCC: nobody is mentioning it, but this arsonist is the same guy that walked into 011 with an AR15 about a year ago. At the time of his demise, he was banned from entering any police facilities as a condition of his bond, from an unrelated run in with the police after. Why was he out on bond to begin with?
so well written, SCC. so sad and so true. the analogy is chilling and indicative of the pervasive M.O. of the CCSA. I've seen it firsthand at hearing after hearing over the past several years at 26th/Cal. Criminals, hard core, to the extreme, laughing as they walk free. Yet any CPD cop snared pretty much gets steamrollered/sentenced to the max. while murderers in waiting walk free to succeed as was the case in this case. Not too corrupt.
Because she wouldnt sign Complaints,Yea right.
well maybe the sheep that call themselves reporters in this city will FINALLY WAKE THE FUCK UP!!!
The CCSAO has been rejecting murder cases for years only to let the shitheads back out of lockups before the detectives have typed the reports and have them kill again and again.
A system that is out of control led by the Imperial Mayor and his goon squad.
They're playing God picking the winners and the losers.
From the bankers that have been left off the hook for crashing the global economy and the housing market to the mentally ill homeless sitting on the streets, in the cook county jail and in the local district offices. Picking the winners and losers.
Likewise this parking meter deal.
First they outsource the parking meters to a bank partnership that includes unknown investors in Abu Dhabi.
Then they jack the rates up sky high, up 15% this year alone to $6.5/hour.
You are not supposed to feel so bad about it though as the Federal government cohorts come along and offer us a tax rebate on parking.
Yep, if you spend $3,000 dollars on parking with Abu Dhabi / Morgan Stanley, we'll give you $1,000 dollars of your tax money back (depending what tax bracket you are in -- assuming you're in a 33% tax bracket)
But wait a minute. What's going on here?! We an creating an incentive thru the tax system to send our wealth off shore and for this we get what in return exactly???
We spend that same $3,000 dollars someplace else like a local business where the money will trickle down through our local economy and the Fed is going to give you shit! However the fed will at least have the taxes on that money to spend locally if they choose to do so and that money would then trickle down.
We have a Federal subsidized parking operation in Chicago to ensure the profits of some foreign outfit -- exporting our wealth for what?
Four dollar tolls to come into the city. Another four dollars to go back home. While you are here you get to spend $6.50/hour to park, pay inflated prices on Gasoline, risk speed trap and red light camera fines and the possibility of getting shot in the face or your I=gadget Apple picked at a famous downtown restaurant?
Screw YOU Chicago.
Enjoy your payroll tax increase Chicago.
Chicago never seen the payroll tax break over the last year or so because the state of Illinois took it with their state income tax increases. That move was carefully timed and hidden. Now you get to feel the impact of what the mullahs have done.
Economic turnaround my ass. Accountability and transparency is BULLSHIT.
Don't get misled by the economy grew last month by "x"% when it took 2x,3x,4X, whatever in borrowing and debt creation to produce those so-called economic growth numbers.
The only game being played here is stealing from our future game. Borrowing from our future to keep the ponzi game going. We call it pension reform and we call it quantitative easing. But it's theft.
$16 trilling in debt and 150 million workers. That's over $100K each that they all owe assuming that you can spread it out evenly. But how does one do that in a min-wage part-time WalMart worker economy that requires the government to pick and choose the winners by awarding food stamps to those workers to survive.
The $100K per worker is just in Fed debt. Then add on the estimated $200 billion and growing at $12 billion per year in Illinois debt. Illinois population is about 12 mil. figure it out. It's enough debt to put our entire next generation in indentured servitude for their entire life.
They'll tell us that we demanded it. Those nasty entitlements. I didn't demand no G-damn $55 million dollar city park or $300,000 per mile bike path....and the lists goes on...
I don't know about Cicero but on Cpd u can get a felony override from a street deputy in cases other than murder. So it probably came down to Cicero and states attorney just thinking this was just a case of another westsider off his meds. Get his funky ass medicated and release him back into the wild.
Hi, Chalkie here, I have a new bumper sticker you can get them thru the mayors office or MCsoon-to-be-fireds office
It reads,
"I am the proud parent on a honor student at Mt Hope cemetery"
They can be passed out at aldermans office or certain caps meetings.
Same guy also was let go last year after he carried a rifle into 011.... He should have been locked up never to see the light of day.....
unfucking believable is right. if one of us blew off a job and 2 people ended up dead it would be front page news for weeks... notice how the media tries to spread the blame to involve the police on this one too.
"Nice Job Anita!"
Very well put SCC.
Bravo on pointing out the "quirk" in the law.
As we all know. The only people ever held accoutable and subjected to any career, legal and civil sanction are POLICEMEN!
No Cook County State's Attorney or Assistant State's Attorney, Cook County Judge or any of the others who make up the alphabet soup of democratic inner party apparatchiks have ever had to worry their little heads over the possibility of suffering the same fate reserved strictly for Policemen if lives are ever lost through the actions of a madman in this manner.
These people have gamed the system and wrote the rules in their favor...
Now, Anita Alvarez wants to conduct an "internal investigation" when it comes out that her office fucked up?
We note with amusement that the media is strenuously avoiding any mention of the deceased lunatic Beller walking into 011 with a rifle.
We wonder... Since CCSAO is a mandatory reporter, did they notify DCFS behind the incident in Cicero?
Was DCFS lax in safeguarding these children?
Is everybody that IS somebody trying to run away from this because the finger of culpability doesn't point at The Police?
Just as The Police are mandated to sign complaints for a reluctant/uncooperative/combative victim and house the offender?
CCSAO should have done the very same and we wouldn't be shaking our heads at this tragedy.
Oh yeah... They'll try to spin this shit...
*Errr... Well, the cops were there and they should have...*
Uh-Uh, Ms. State's Attorney... You and your people had final authority in this by virtue of the very existence of "Felony Review."
This IS your very ugly, baby and it's feeding time, Anita...
How is that rumored appointment to the Illinois Supreme Court going, Anita?
*SNICKER*
As SCC noted... A construct unique in law enforcement, this Felony Review creature is...
Heh... Can't have coppers in Cook County charging offenses according to the law. Right?
Disband this nonsense and do away with the foolishness of trying cases on the telephone.
Another political stumbling block to effective Policing.
The Royal Family Monarchy Marches on
Chicago Ald. Richard Mell (33rd) stepping down after 38 years. Daughter Deb, a state rep, will take his seat
via the Suntimes.
------------------
Don't let any strangers in their and upset the clouted ones now.
Great post SCC, but I kind of look at it another way. What i'm curious about is whether this clown was taken to a hospital for a psychological evaluation and what were the results? Seems to me that this is another example what can go wrong when the government plays it cheap, and shuts down mental wards to save money. I'm sure many readers can name various types of nutjobs over the years that they had to put hands on, call the wagon for a transport, and do a hospitalization report for, only to have the same combative mental that thinks he is made of cheese, out running around the streets in less then a week. Not disagreeing with the post, just pointing out another way things are fucked up. Regardless, crazy or evil, he should have been put in a jail or looney bin the first time.
The "bathtub full of gas" the first time was in a large apartment building in Cicero, with a lot of other people in danger.
It is a miracle it didn't blow that time -- from a light switch, from a pilot light, from an invisible spark from static electricity...
What would anyone rightly do? I imagine it went "Arrest the guy, get him out of there, get fire rolling and evacuate the building -- and don't hit your radio button in that place!" Jesus.
How it shakes down after is not the resp. ofc. fault, if they tried honestly to protect everyone in an emergency like this.
I voted for Lori Yokoyama
Had a crackhead feeling up little girls, including his niece. Multiple VSIs, cooperating parents, but shitbag wouldn't give a statement. Felonious review says no. Sixth dist. SA supervisor wouldn't upgrade, either. No choice but to type up thirteen sexual abuse complaints as misdemeanors. At bond, judge, deputies, clerks, courtroom ASA couldn't believe it. Felt like a schmuck, but wanted some justice. Plea deal gave him a year combined with other charges. Daley or Devine regime, but all the same.
"It also leads to a dismal prosecution rate of felonies, everything being bargained down to misdemeanors or labeled "continuing investigation" while clearance rates hover around 25%..."
...but with a 95% conviction rate when they want to charge a felony. Coercive plea bargaining.
"Two years. If this goes to trial and he loses I'll give him five."
Pleads guilty.
"Were you coerced in any way?"
>looks at lawyer<
"No."
"...prosecutors declined to file felony charges, in part because Johnson refused to sign a criminal complaint..."
Of course any ol boy in the jailhouse can tell you about "complaintant din show but state pick up de case."
If they feel like it.
Beller was a police fighter and terrifyingly violent abuser; therefore, he got every benefit of the doubt and then some.
What you see is the way they want it.
You're wrong about the law. Illinois does not have a mandatory arrest policy. A Peace officer CAN arrest, but isn't obligated (at least legally) to make an arrest.
The nine year old would be better off dead. Does anyone know the treatment for someone with severe burns? They peel your skin off every day, until the risk of infection is gone. They give you a medication to make you forget the pain, but during the process, you FEEL every bit of pain!!! This animal should PAY!!!
"Welcoming City" -- Not Guilty By Reason Of Insanity
10:52 p.m. CST, January 3, 2013
"A Somali cabdriver accused of killing a neighbor and injuring five others by setting his building ablaze in 2010 was acquitted of murder and arson charges Thursday.
"Mahad Ali Hassan, 29, was found not guilty by reason of insanity Thursday and a court date was set for Jan. 31, according to Cook County court records.
"Hassan, who lived on the fourth floor of the five-story building in the 6700 block of North Sheridan Road, had a long-running dispute with two women who lived on the floor above him, prosecutors said.
"He had been charged with first-degree murder, aggravated arson and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. Authorities accused him of pouring gasoline in two places in the fifth-floor hallway.
"A witness who saw Hassan flee the staircase shortly before the fire said he seemed "out of breath and startled," and the witness found a gas can between the second and third floors..."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-mahad-ali-hassan-not-guilty-in-fatal-rogers-park-fire-insanity-20130103,0,6975012.story
American white guy pulled one of these, Norman something, dispute, lit fire in apt. hallway and 2-3 died, he's in IDOC, Menard or Pontiac, "Guilty But Mentally Ill."
alvarez is a national joke now.
You're wrong about the law. Illinois does not have a mandatory arrest policy. A Peace officer CAN arrest, but isn't obligated (at least legally) to make an arrest.
-=-=-=-=-=-=--=
except in two cases - active warrant and domestic incident with visible injuries. back to law school recruit
From a citizen troll: This is surprising? Let us not forget we live in Cook County, where one motto is no crime goes punished. Or the fix is in. (Graylord was one of my favorites. Silver Shovel is a good one too. Anyone remember the judicial fix for Harry Aleman? Its a good thing he did not shotgun one of my relatives. I would have personally capped his ass. Dying in prison because of judicial corruption is justice only in Cook County) We have a States Attorney Office wherein the party controls who is the states attorney. If we can all agree the party is corrupt, reason would follow that the administration of justice is also corrupt. At the end of the day, Democrat party corruption is a large contributor to crime in the City, County and State. Oh, and now the tiny dancer is going to appoint Prince Richards daughter to fill his seat. WTF? I hear Patti needs a job, why is she not appointed? Lets see if she is appointed to take the state senate seat of the daughter who takes the seat of the little prince of the city. I think these people are rotten to the bone.
Fuck Illinois.
Educate your children so they can escape.
Stop your whining about felony review in general. Approval rates are around 90% if not higher and most rejections are deserved.
DuPage, Kane, and Lake all have felony review but mostly treated as "phone" cases.
Just police have PC to make an arrest doesn't mean they have enough evidence to charge an offender. And, yes Cicero could have done an override.
ASAs on review don't have political ties and don't get highly paid. No overtime and they're making the same amount roughly as when they were hired by the office nearly 5-7 years prior with maybe 1 or 2 COLA raises.
Guess what else?
Man found not guilty in fatal Rogers Park blaze
A Somali cabdriver accused of killing a neighbor and injuring five others by setting his building ablaze in 2010 was acquitted of murder and arson charges Thursday.
Mahad Ali Hassan, 29, was found not guilty by reason of insanity Thursday and a court date was set for Jan. 31, according to Cook County court records.
Hassan, who lived on the fourth floor of the five-story building in the 6700 block of North Sheridan Road, had a long-running dispute with two women who lived on the floor above him, prosecutors said.
He had been charged with first-degree murder, aggravated arson and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. Authorities accused him of pouring gasoline in two places in the fifth-floor hallway.
A witness who saw Hassan flee the staircase shortly before the fire said he seemed "out of breath and startled," and the witness found a gas can between the second and third floors, prosecutors said.,,,
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-mahad-ali-hassan-not-guilty-in-fatal-rogers-park-fire-insanity-20130103,0,6975012.story
NOT GUILTY! INSANITY!
Send him back on the streets and close down some more mental health facilities mayor. Better yet piss away $53,000/year to lock him up in the county and tell us how you are saving us money by doing this.
And all Anita cares about is that she wants to repeal the 2nd amendment and take guns away.
People burning down buildings left and right and the only thing that matters is these damn guns.
Mass murders and mental illness.
Banning guns is not going to stop these people. They'll just start burning down the place that's all.
Ya gonna ban gasoline cans and gasoline next? Or like that explosion that went down in Indiana about a month ago where they turned on the natural gas and wiped out the entire block?!
These leaders are in disarray.
In will county you ask your sgt who in turn asks the the LT.... The LT wants to know every detail of the guys life and then maybe you felony approval... I also worked in cook county and am very familiar with felony review out there... To be honest the Cook County process is easier to deal with
Felony charges are reserved for political protestors that call out the current politicians and who try to hold them accountable.
How dare they!!
We'll pull out all the stops on that.
People shooting one another, burning down buildings, raping, pilfer, and plundering not so much.
Felony review for only class X felonies down here in Joliet....at least the Will County portion...
Anita Alvarez has a couple of kids. I realize that she also has handlers and needs to respond to their needs and desires.
But aren't her kids more important?How about showing them that she actually has a moral system? She is failing miserably at her job and needs to show her kids that when you're continually failing, you need to take action --- she needs to resign.
A littlt OT, but not really.....How about Assistant CCSA Naughton who was involved in the battery/official misconduct incident up north. The Attorney General's office dismissed the two counts of mis. battery/DC last month because more approaprate charges would be sought, according to AG Madigan. Well those seemingly more approprate charges were more MISD. Battery and MISD. Official Misconduct charges. Once again a different standard for those who are connected! A police Sergeant E. Howard is charged and convicted of FELONY Aggravated Battery and FELONY Official Misconduct for slapping a kid who was going to spit on the Sergeant,and this politically connected drunk gets a slap on the wrist, is hidden inside the CCSA's office for a few months and never suffers a thing. Real JUSTICE in CROOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS!!! How about a posting to keep this one in the news SCC. It surely affects ALL OF US!!
Do you still believe them when they say they want to take your guns away because it's for the children? Then don't give a damned about your children.
Some of you youngsters might not remember the standoff with the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas, but the federal government, with Bill Clinton as president, Rahm as Chief of Staff and Hillary as a raving nut job giving herself power, burned to death over eighty people, including women and children, with the active participation of members of the US Army in violation of Posse Comitatus. When the smoke cleared, there was a coverup. Hillary had files stolen from a staffer who killed himself because he was sick with grief over the incident.
These socialist scum don't give a damn about anyone's children. They'll let them burn. And now they want your guns so you are helpless against them.
Gee, sounds like the CCSA's Office has a " code of silence ".
It's been this way for years....1987, burglary in Pill Hill, 004 dist....quick response, the chase is on, sgt rolling in an alley spooks him, he ups a pistol, lets one go across the windshield, thank god misses the sgt. We get him in a yard, he stil has the proceeds and the gun, admits to firing the shot because the sgt was "gonna run me over". ASA Ms Shields, felony review says no to attempt murder or agg assault/battery because dude "was not aiming at the sgt". Burglary yes, gun charges etc. some things never change.
Retired now, and happy. Be safe, watch their hands.
Regarding the burglary in 22 with off duty victim......felony charges were not even called in due to the fact that nobody could put the guy inside the house to charge. The off duty guy came home and the offender already fled out basement door. The two offenders were caught in a white van awhile later in EP. No proceeds....no statement....no witness....
Anonymous said...
You're wrong about the law. Illinois does not have a mandatory arrest policy. A Peace officer CAN arrest, but isn't obligated (at least legally) to make an arrest.
-=-=-=-=-=-=--=
except in two cases - active warrant and domestic incident with visible injuries. back to law school recruit
1/04/2013 04:37:00 AM
PLEASE READ AND UNDERSTAND (750 ILCS 60/)
Illinois is in fact NOT technically a mandatory arrest state. However we are mandated by statute to make a report for all bonafide incidents and take reasonable steps to prevent additional abuse, which includes arrest where appropriate. Arrest MAY take place without a complaint by the victim. Although as always we need to have probable cause to make an arrest, the law protects us from civil liability as stated below.
Where there are visible injuries and probable cause for arrest, or if instructed by a supervisor, MAKE THE ARREST
(750 ILCS 60/305) (from Ch. 40, par. 2313-5)
Sec. 305. Limited law enforcement liability. Any act of omission or commission by any law enforcement officer acting in good faith in rendering emergency assistance or otherwise enforcing this Act shall not impose civil liability upon the law enforcement officer or his or her supervisor or employer, unless the act is a result of willful or wanton misconduct.
Im about to leave for Juvenile Court to see yet again, Judge Walker let go all the gun juvenile offenders after first hugging them, fist pumping them and giving them a word or two of advice as to what college to go to.
except in two cases - active warrant and domestic incident with visible injuries. back to law school recruit
1/04/2013 04:37:00 AM
PLUS VIOLATION OF ACTIVE ORDER OF PROTECTION EVEN IF BABY GIRL DOESNT WANT HIM ARRESTED
Deb Mell just happens to like throwing punches at police officers also, another class act!,
Guess we will need to ban all "Assault gas cans".....an assault has can will be defined by being larger than 2.5 gal in size, having a flexible nozzle, or having a breather valve which allows the user to dispense gas at a high rate of speed. Also we will need to register our gas cans and apply for a GCOID.
I don't know about Cicero but on Cpd u can get a felony override from a street deputy in cases other than murder. So it probably came down to Cicero and states attorney just thinking this was just a case of another westsider off his meds. Get his funky ass medicated and release him back into the wild.
1/04/2013 12:45:00 AM
"Street Deputy" huh? Been a while since you had an override hasn't it. We don't have Street Deputies anymore.
Anita is not having a good past few weeks. One of her employees biting a person, and still having a job (because she has "juice"), 60Minutes interview (people walking around Chicago having sex with dead people), and now this. Dan Kirk must be SO HAPPY. Thats what you get when you fire / ask to leave so many ASA's. I would think Anita is looking over many court transcripts to see who dismissed this guys last case so that person can be asked to leave the Office. Happy 2013, Lets see what ASA (which screws up)or charges that are denied (and the goof kills someone)pops up next.
Anita is a politician who is interested only in getting re-elected and furthering the agenda of the Chicago Machine. She could not find her butt with both hands in her rear pockets.
Such is life in Chicago/Crook County, Il
Hey Anita it's a little late now isn't it. Why don't you take those bags under your eyes and just go away.
"Almost every single felony charge must go through Felony Review, a construct unique to Cook County and Rockford if we aren't mistaken."
And WILL COUNTY too...
Felony Review works when the Police and Prosecutor have mutual respect for each other and do not see themselves as engaged in an adversarial relationship. I served as a Chicago Police Officer and Sergeant, and remember the days when we worked as a team to clear or prosecute. Somewhere, I cannot say when, but at some point, perhaps when the State's Attorney began to pursue corrupt cops; we became the enemy. Maybe it was Burge, I can't say when, but from that point forward, nothing that we could say or prove mattered. The State's Attorneys Office decided that they were their own police department and that they alone would decide if someone was to be held and prosecuted. Young inexperienced attorneys, many of whom were Political Hacks, decide the fate of those accused of crimes in Cook County, and the public must be made to understand that! Politics in the police department is always under attack, YET WE IGNORE THE FACT THAT POLITICS IS THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE STATE'S ATTORNEYS OFFICE. REMEMBER, THEY ARE ELECTED, hence they are politicians first and foremost. We are the Impartial representatives of the State. Somehow the Media and public have lost sight of that reality.
Teaching point....
CPD can NOT seek an override if the CCSAO does not "hear" the facts and then "review" the case. without a REJECTION, an override can not be sought. The game in that office is just CI the case regardless of what the detectives and officers have done, CI means cops have to do more before a "review" can be completed
This is just like the old adage "If a tree falls in the forest..."
I can tell you plenty over stories of arguments with AsA trial "supervisors " regarding the letter of the law and the evidence presented. I am not hired to force a police-hating idiot to be a witness, nor should I. To be uncooperative with an investigation is their right, but this type of outcome is the price.
"except in two cases - active warrant and domestic incident with visible injuries. back to law school recruit"
750 ILCS 60/Art. III says an arrest will be made when appropriate and gives instructions on what an officer shall do if an arrest is not made in bona fide cases. It does not say anything about an arrest being mandatory. I was told by an ASA that when a victim refuses to sign complaints officers are obligated to take steps to prevent further abuse. Arrest is an option but not the only one and is not mandatory. Would you mind telling me where it states an arrest is mandatory? I lost a bet about this last year (the reason I asked the ASA) and would like to get my money back. I even checked the American Bar Association site but it also lists Illinois as non-mandatory.
Anonymous said...
I don't know about Cicero but on Cpd u can get a felony override from a street deputy in cases other than murder. So it probably came down to Cicero and states attorney just thinking this was just a case of another westsider off his meds. Get his funky ass medicated and release him back into the wild.
1/04/2013 12:45:00 AM
---
Maybe you're right. But somebody needs to school you a bit on overrides. Anybody?
except in two cases - active warrant and domestic incident with visible injuries. back to law school recruit
VOOP and Bail Bond
back to law school for you, RECRUIT!!!
Apparently CCSAO isn't the only bunch that won't approve charges:
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/01/03/escape-charges-dropped-against-fugitive-in-mcc-jailbreak/
80 years? Good thing it isn't state time, he'd be out in three . . . . . .
You're wrong about the law. Illinois does not have a mandatory arrest policy. A Peace officer CAN arrest, but isn't obligated (at least legally) to make an arrest.
-=-=-=-=-=-=--=
except in two cases - active warrant and domestic incident with visible injuries. back to law school recruit.
___________________________________
Some people need to read the order. Mandatory arrest is required in only two instances...VOP and Viol. of Bail.
I wonder if the family of the deceased will sue Anita and the CCSAO. Why not ? Another way to get paid , but I would love to see Anita slither in her seat again just like she did with the 60 minutes interview.
sure anita will spin it to make it look like the cicero cops were the lazy ones... and why do they always say the offender, had mental issuses, and bi-polar disorder.... the shit head, is a pice of shit gangbanger,,, keep giving him the excuse of "mental issues" on the news for his mental issues...
Way back in the day when they started Felony Review I told the powers that be to keep a running story line on each case that was rejected because the citizens would blame the police.
I was told "Do you think Daley will back Devine(who took his law school exam for him) "After he puts a brick on yoiur ass the size of the Sears tower".
Anonymous said...
You're wrong about the law. Illinois does not have a mandatory arrest policy. A Peace officer CAN arrest, but isn't obligated (at least legally) to make an arrest.
-=-=-=-=-=-=--=
except in two cases - active warrant and domestic incident with visible injuries. back to law school recruit
1/04/2013 04:37:00 AM
The only mandatory arrests are for violation of order of protection and violation of bail bond
Time for Anita to go and take Lisa Madigan along with her. Too political hacks that do not protect the best interests of society as they are always worried about either the political fallout, their reelection chances or protecting the political class. But, both probably will ein reelection when the time comes as way too many people vote either the party line or based on ethnic lines.
Anonymous said...
You're wrong about the law. Illinois does not have a mandatory arrest policy. A Peace officer CAN arrest, but isn't obligated (at least legally) to make an arrest.
-=-=-=-=-=-=--=
except in two cases - active warrant and domestic incident with visible injuries. back to law school recruit
1/04/2013 04:37:00 AM
I could be wrong here but I think the first poster is correct. Illinois does not have a mandatory arrest policy. The domestic violence arrest policy is a departmental policy of the Chicago police. It's specific to DV cases in Chicago. As with everything this city does its own thing regardless of state or federal law.
to 1206
"one form or another of felony review" you are comparing apples and oranges. Other counties have nothing even close to our review. I have worked with many dets. around the state and country and they are all shocked to learn of Cook County's review system. Go to another county and watch them get a search or arrest warrant. you will be shocked
To the trolls or uniformed, this is certainly not new.
I was on the job, back in the days when then CCSA Bernard Carey started this farce.
It's safe to say, that on average over these many years, there are at least ten a day,(Felonies) every day since the 1970's that are rejected by the Crook County States Atty's Office.
That's a conservative estimate of less than 50% of every district in the city.
I'm certain it's a lot more.
So, since the 1970's there's literally tens of thousands of charges knocked down/out BEFORE they even get to court.
Where's the outrage?
Cue the crickets.
History of Felony Review. It was brought into play after newspapers hit on bad conviction rate for States Attorneys. States Attorney blamed it on Detectives just doing bad work & overcharging. They stated if they had control they would get more convictions. Also I believe that Cook County is the only place where the States Attorney is your adversary on getting search or arrest warrants.
Had a Felony Review States Attorney refuse felony charges because the offender had never been charged with a felony before. Deputy override felony conviction 1-3yrs.
1/04/2013 12:06:00 AM
You're right asshat, but every other counties felony review is used for homicides, and doesn't consist of people's cousins, nieces, nephews, and political hacks. Felony review is a joke and should be disbanded.
1/04/2013 12:45:00 AM
ASA told me that overrides get marked and won't get prosecuted in court.
1/04/2013 04:37:00 AM
Keep telling yourself that skippy, here is the ILCS
ARTICLE III
LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES
(750 ILCS 60/301) (from Ch. 40, par. 2313-1)
Sec. 301. Arrest without warrant.
(a) Any law enforcement officer may make an arrest without warrant if the officer has probable cause to believe that the person has committed or is committing any crime, including but not limited to violation of an order of protection, under Section 12-3.4 or 12-30 of the Criminal Code of 1961, even if the crime was not committed in the presence of the officer.
(b) The law enforcement officer may verify the existence of an order of protection by telephone or radio communication with his or her law enforcement agency or by referring to the copy of the order provided by the petitioner or respondent.
(c) Any law enforcement officer may make an arrest without warrant if the officer has reasonable grounds to believe a defendant at liberty under the provisions of subdivision (d)(1) or (d)(2) of Section 110-10 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 has violated a condition of his or her bail bond or recognizance.
(Source: P.A. 96-1551, eff. 7-1-11.)
SCC Kind of like the police dept.Providing numerous well paying jobs for a lot of bottom feeding connected minions.Don't ya think?
Fits criterion for her to be charged with involuntary manslaughter.
I am not a Rhodes Scholar but I do know how to cut the number of Homicides in half in Cook County. Farm out all the Cook County Judges and States Attorneys to Lake, McHenery, Kane, Dupage and Will Counties and bring the Judges and States Attorneys from these counties to Cook. Our neighboring county Dupage, did not experience 1 Homicide all of last year because the States Attorney prosecutes the law to the fullest extent allowable and the Judges sentence the convicted to the fullest extent of the law. The judges from Dupage and the surrounding counties also do not let violent criminals back out on bond only to create more harm or possibly death. This alone, I believe, would cut the number of Homicides by 20%.
So in closing Mr/Mrs Illinois Legislator, start conducting judicial reviews to ensure that judges are following sentencing guidelines and bail guidelines. Start looking at the way things are done in Dupage County.
Start a legislative movement for truth in sentencing so offenders do 85% of their sentence instead of the brief “time out” that they are given in Cook County. If that is not enough of a deterrent start looking at tougher sentences for your voters. If you need to build more prisons then build them instead of closing them or selling them to the federal government. Also get a study going that tracks the violent crimes committed by all the prisoners released early by Governor Quinn.
Watching these criminals slip through the cracks is nothing new for any of us doing this job long enough. Time and time again I'm explaining to anyone who wants to listen that we ARE doing our job out there. What we can't control is the CCSAO, the judges, DCFS, IDOC, or anyone else who is able to get their greasy fingerprints all over our cases.
Here's a little pet project for you media types who troll this blog. Do a little research on all the chalkies that get rung up in 2013, we're sure to have another 500+ this year. Take just a few minutes and find out a little history on every dead body that litters the streets of Chicago. See what kind of criminal history the offender and/or victim has. Find out how many of these statistics waiting to happen have been dealt with kid gloves by our system. How many double secret probationers, how many early parolees, how many DCFS "unfounded" cases, how many nolle pros cases, how many assholes out there with 30 juvenile arrests and another dozen adult arrests by the age of 20 are walking the streets because the CCSAO and our judges refuse to lock them up?
Let us know what you have by the end of the year, and then ask yourself just how much violence could have been prevented if everyone else BESIDES the police puts forth just one tenth the effort we do.
Hey do you know what they call the person that graduates last in their class at John Marshall junior college of law? An assistant states attorney. Thank you goodnight be sure to tip your waitress.
This excellently presented header of facts should be posted to mainstream media sites and not limited to this blog alone.
Well written and no need for further explanations.
send it everywhere
Ban all machines that USE gasoline !
Anita
No such mandatory arrest with domestic with injuries. Violation of order of protection and violation of bail bond conditions. Thats it...
First get rid of anita, then re-do the charging process. Can't a deputy be called in to over ride an asa?
So, wait. In a child abuse case...we need parents to sign complaints against themselves??? Anita? Help? I'm confused.
Anonymous said...
Because she wouldnt sign Complaints,Yea right.
1/04/2013 12:35:00 AM
Agg Domestic Battery, officer signs complaints. I've done it many times.
Anonymous said...
The nine year old would be better off dead. Does anyone know the treatment for someone with severe burns? They peel your skin off every day, until the risk of infection is gone. They give you a medication to make you forget the pain, but during the process, you FEEL every bit of pain!!! This animal should PAY!!!
1/04/2013 03:07:00 AM
Animal is dead but did not suffer nearly enough.
Gangbanger/offender Miranda murdered innocent teen on a bicycle 2010. PO's and Det.'s find 3 witnesses, two from shitheads own gang.Charges rejected per ASA.
9 month later Miranda beats another innocent teen into a brain dead coma with a baseball bat. look it up.
Anonymous said...
Hi, Chalkie here, I have a new bumper sticker you can get them thru the mayors office or MCsoon-to-be-fireds office
It reads, "I am the proud parent on a honor student at Mt Hope cemetery"
They can be passed out at aldermans office or certain caps meetings.
1/04/2013 12:59:00 AM
I recall one bumper sticker, "My son is inmate of the month at Cook County Jail" seen on a locker in 007.
Geez I guess the Illinois Domestic Violence Laws hae dissolved to nothing.... maybe the States Attorney's Office can explain that for us.
Pure unadulterated bullshit.
I want to puke every time I hear this bitch's name, for the many years back hearing, "Felony Charges DENIED per asa alverez" over the phone at felony review.
What a joke.
Anonymous said...
The Royal Family Monarchy Marches on
Chicago Ald. Richard Mell (33rd) stepping down after 38 years. Daughter Deb, a state rep, will take his seat
via the Suntimes.
-----
Just WHEN did political office begin to have a RIGHT TO SUCCESSION attached?
BCP [notes] "with amusement that the media is strenuously avoiding any mention of the deceased lunatic Beller walking into 011 with a rifle."
1/04/2013 01:07:00 AM
WITH AN "ASSAULT RIFLE," in the middle of the biggest gun confiscation push ever!
"The nine year old would be better off dead. Does anyone know the treatment for someone with severe burns? They peel your skin off every day, until the risk of infection is gone. They give you a medication to make you forget the pain, but during the process, you FEEL every bit of pain!"
1/04/2013 03:07:00 AM
This is of no interest.
What I did get the tiniest detail on just now was --
"[Some rev] is facing ten years mandatory minimum for transporting a minor across state lines for sex, but contributions at his megachurch had been dropping off, he'd been working over 100 hours a week, and there are hundreds of letters of support from his family and congregation."
Never heard someone plead a case better.
Mike.
Krauser.
WBBM.
Don't wear a "joke T-shirt" outside your house -- he'll spot it.
I wish something different would come out of the radio, but there it is.
An error in your post.
The IDVA (IL domes violence act) does NOT have a mandatory arrest provision even if there are visible injuries.
Arrest is in the CPD GOs as a preferred means of resolving a domestic.
You're wrong about the law. Illinois does not have a mandatory arrest policy. A Peace officer CAN arrest, but isn't obligated (at least legally) to make an arrest.
-=-=-=-=-=-=--=
except in two cases - active warrant and domestic incident with visible injuries. back to law school recruit
1/04/2013 04:37:00 AM
Not true. Read the GO.
Here's a funny little quirk of the law. If a police officer responding to a domestic situation sees cuts, bruising or obvious trauma on a victim, and the victim refuses to sign complaints against his/her abuser because they are afraid of further abuse, the officer is obligated under the law to sign complaints on behalf of the victim. Failure to do so subjects the officer to possible criminal and internal charges, termination and jail time.
-------
Nothing in the above paragraph is true.
It's easy to say the victim refused to sign a complaint when she's not here to contradict that theory.
"American white guy pulled one of these, Norman something, dispute, lit fire in apt. hallway and 2-3 died, he's in IDOC, Menard or Pontiac, "Guilty But Mentally Ill."
1/04/2013 03:07:00 AM
Norman Derrickson. In Pontiac, life without parole, and you should SEE the multiple counts! No trouble AT ALL throwing the book when they feel like it.
and why was ther no mention in the HUGE ARTICLE in the newspaper that this asshole walked into the 11th district harrison district last year or several years ago wielding a weapon that could've turned deadly?
FUCK the police and let these sick fucks run wild until something trtagic has to take place.....I really really hate what this job has become over the last 20 years since I came on
Traffic stop in 06. Had a vehicle passenger (who was a convicted felon) w/ 3 pistols in the door hidden under the window switches. He was on his way to get some get back for a bad dope rip. When i got him out of the car one of the bullets fell out of his lap!!! Wouldn't give a statement and you know the rest. I ask what if i don't charge today and submit for prints. When prints come back go felony then. Her response...wait for it...is that his prints would only prove he touched the gun at SOME time, not the time of the stop. Fade to black...
You're wrong about the law. Illinois does not have a mandatory arrest policy. A Peace officer CAN arrest, but isn't obligated (at least legally) to make an arrest.
-=-=-=-=-=-=--=
except in two cases - active warrant and domestic incident with visible injuries. back to law school recruit
...violation of an order of protection and violation of bail bond are the must arrests. Back to the academy for both of you
Alvarez fired the most talented ASA'S right after her first election. What's left are the lowest of political hacks who can't win any case where the defendant is represented by private attorneys or one of the few competent public defenders. The Felony Review Unit ASA'S usually work from home and want to try cases from their kitchen tables. A travesty.
I'm not in any way defending Anita, but when you say that felony review "provides countless well paying patronage jobs for the connected bottom-of-the-barrel law school grads who can't find actual employment or don't want to spend years researching legal briefs," you just sound unintelligent and uninformed. Do you even know what the average salary of an ASA is? I do, and it's not reflective of a "well paying" job by any stretch of the imagination. Those who are "lifers" are certainly not in it for the money. Likewise, there are plenty of ASAs who actually care about the work they do, aren't political hacks and are just as upset when charges aren't approved. But the reality is that more often than not, when charges aren't approved, it's because they are thinking down the road to the felony preliminary hearing, the grand jury, the motion to suppress, the trial, the appeal, etc. In other words, they're doing their job by evaluating the factual basis (i.e., the evidence) upon which charges will be based and brought. I don't know a single ASA who relishes in the idea of letting a rapist, killer, drug dealer, or banger go without charges, but the alternative isn't much better (i.e., NG or reverse conviction, lawsuit against POs for false arrest, conspiracy, malicious prosecution, etc., punitive damages out of the POs pockets, etc.). I realize that CPD and CCSAO don't always see eye-to-eye on things, and again, I'm not defending Anita or her bullshit policies. But I am defending the hard-working men and women who prosecute the shitheads of Cook County on a daily basis and try to do the best they can with the shit hand they've been dealt (think 500+ felony cases in one room with 3 ASAs). To categorically refer to the entire office as a group of "bottom-of-the-barrel" attorneys is clearly not a very cogent thought process.
Anonymous said...
Stop your whining about felony review in general. Approval rates are around 90% if not higher and most rejections are deserved.
DuPage, Kane, and Lake all have felony review but mostly treated as "phone" cases.
Just police have PC to make an arrest doesn't mean they have enough evidence to charge an offender. And, yes Cicero could have done an override.
ASAs on review don't have political ties and don't get highly paid. No overtime and they're making the same amount roughly as when they were hired by the office nearly 5-7 years prior with maybe 1 or 2 COLA raises.
1/04/2013 05:56:00 AM
Stay off the blog anita.
Take all of that above BS and shove it!
The worst part of this job is dealing with the political hacks like you, and the no-balls bosses.
Dude on the street, we can handle.
You all are an animal of it's own.
It's NOT "Felony Review". It's "Felony Denial".
It got so bad when I was on the job that i wouldn't even bother Calling the CCSA. I'd just charge the offender with multiple Misdemeanors
when possible.
BTW, Champaign County IL has the same system.
TV now, they went real hard on this Curry idiot for "posting a disturbing photo on F__ebook of his baby daughter with duct tape stuck on her."
...but a bathtub full of gasoline and everyone is in a quandary.
...and they wonder why policemen drink, seem to have a short temper sometimes...
>sigh<
"Chicago Ald. Richard Mell (33rd) stepping down after 38 years. Daughter Deb, a state rep, will take his seat
-----
"Just WHEN did political office begin to have a RIGHT TO SUCCESSION attached?"
1/04/2013 01:58:00 PM
* Stroger Sr. to Stroger Jr. on the Cook County Board
* Mayor of Rosemont for fifty years and then died, office passed to son in similar midnight ceremony, public not invited...
Anonymous said...
Anonymous said...
Because she wouldnt sign Complaints,Yea right.
1/04/2013 12:35:00 AM
Agg Domestic Battery, officer signs complaints. I've done it many times.
1/04/2013 01:14:00 PM
The only time you've done this is when the offender had a prior domestic conviction.
There has never been a single instance in the history of this county where an ASA has approved an Agg Domestic Batt charge when the victim refused to cooperate.
Oops. My bad. The duct-tape-on-baby idiot got probation -- he had SAM ADAMS JR. for a lawyer!
No decent, normal person could ever pay this fucking Adams enough to take a case...
"I'm a get a pasta fazool!"
Anonymous said...
Teaching point....
CPD can NOT seek an override if the CCSAO does not "hear" the facts and then "review" the case. without a REJECTION, an override can not be sought. The game in that office is just CI the case regardless of what the detectives and officers have done, CI means cops have to do more before a "review" can be completed
This is just like the old adage "If a tree falls in the forest..."
I can tell you plenty over stories of arguments with AsA trial "supervisors " regarding the letter of the law and the evidence presented. I am not hired to force a police-hating idiot to be a witness, nor should I. To be uncooperative with an investigation is their right, but this type of outcome is the price.
1/04/2013 08:26:00 AM
The amount of misinformation on this thread is staggering.
An exempt member of this department can charge any offender with a felony EXCEPT murder. The agreement, disagreement, continuance, or rejection has no bearing on the exempt's authority to charge an offender with a felony. There is even a strong argument that the "agreement" of felony review is not legally binding and the police department could actually send an offender before a bond judge for any felony, including murder.
Of course, once a case is in court it is purely the decision of the SA on whether or not the case will be prosecuted.
No good spin on this one .
No keesing either .
Now Dick Mell NOT leaving. Tremendous embarrassment, and Emanuel making his excuses for him.
Film of Mell jumping on tables at City Council and screaming. Police watching bemused, WTF. Try not to laugh.
Emanuel -- "I jumped on a few tables myself."
Beware. Mell has guns. Got a special private amnesty to keep them registered, too.
What is all this stuff about "loopholes in the mental health laws?" Look in the City Council first.
I believe we should start keeping a log in each district every time we call felony review, then when a case like this happens we can state who we talked to and the reasons for rejection. Then send the list to the media and see if they will do their jobs.
I hope the states attorney s have a hard time living with that one, I hope it haunts them every day of there lives. These people are not friends of the police ,any chance they get they stick it to us. Remember that when you catch them doing something against the law,call the medea right away before they can make there clout call.
I'm not in any way defending Anita, but when you say that felony review "provides countless well paying patronage jobs for the connected bottom-of-the-barrel law school grads who can't find actual employment or don't want to spend years researching legal briefs," you just sound unintelligent and uninformed. Do you even know what the average salary of an ASA is? I do, and it's not reflective of a "well paying" job by any stretch of the imagination. Those who are "lifers" are certainly not in it for the money. Likewise, there are plenty of ASAs who actually care about the work they do, aren't political hacks and are just as upset when charges aren't approved. But the reality is that more often than not, when charges aren't approved, it's because they are thinking down the road to the felony preliminary hearing, the grand jury, the motion to suppress, the trial, the appeal, etc. In other words, they're doing their job by evaluating the factual basis (i.e., the evidence) upon which charges will be based and brought. I don't know a single ASA who relishes in the idea of letting a rapist, killer, drug dealer, or banger go without charges, but the alternative isn't much better (i.e., NG or reverse conviction, lawsuit against POs for false arrest, conspiracy, malicious prosecution, etc., punitive damages out of the POs pockets, etc.). I realize that CPD and CCSAO don't always see eye-to-eye on things, and again, I'm not defending Anita or her bullshit policies. But I am defending the hard-working men and women who prosecute the shitheads of Cook County on a daily basis and try to do the best they can with the shit hand they've been dealt (think 500+ felony cases in one room with 3 ASAs). To categorically refer to the entire office as a group of "bottom-of-the-barrel" attorneys is clearly not a very cogent thought process.
1/04/2013 03:41:00 PM
There is a case currently in front of the courts. Armed robbery, agg batt w/handgun. One guy gets caught and is willing to give up shooter and testify without a deal. States attorney says "we're not interested". So your not knowing "a single ASA who relishes in letting a rapist, killer, drug dealer go" shows there a few ASAs who really dont give a damn
Any cop that thinks the ASA's office likes or respect the CPD in any way shape or form is completely insane!!!! They do not care for you at all. They look at you with distain covered up with a smile and a good line of bullshit. Please do not think they are your friend, because they would serve you up in a second and toss you in jail twice as fast as any shithead out there.
HOMICIDE?
No kid? Littering shell cases on the public way, give them ANOV'S AND I'LL SEE IF I CAN PULL some strings and get supervision for ya kid.
Next time you'll know how to do dis, we're kinda busy down here!
I worked in two LEO's before the finest!
I got them, processed them, did the felony and 101's then showed it to the Sarg.
He said: "Yeah."
I TOLD the asa my court date and he said: "Yeah."
He showed it to the judge and he said: Yeah.'
He today the defendant: 14 years concurrent!
I went to lunch.
Now I wake up and find out it wasn't a nightmare it was real?
HOMICIDE?
No kid? Littering shell cases on the public way, give them ANOV'S AND I'LL SEE IF I CAN PULL some strings and get supervision for ya kid.
Next time you'll know how to do dis, we're kinda busy down here!
I once had a domestic battery victim who wanted to cooperate fully with the investigation. Offender had prior conviction for Dom bat and was still on probation for it. Vic came in detective came out talked to her and called state. State came out and wanted written statement. Victim complied and stayed for atleast 5-6 hrs State denied upgrade charges which statute says is automatic if u have prior convictions. State said he denied charges because she had been a victim to many times. I just shook my head.
The ASA's in Cook County are mostly decent lawyers stuck in a very political situation. The bottom of the law school class become PDs, not ASAs. I've talked to some reasonable ASAs at felony review and some goofs. It is the same with detectives, I've had some great detectives respond and some awful detectives respond. You have a great arrest and then it is luck of the draw for the detective and felony review.
Anonymous said...
"Chicago Ald. Richard Mell (33rd) stepping down after 38 years. Daughter Deb, a state rep, will take his seat
-----
"Just WHEN did political office begin to have a RIGHT TO SUCCESSION attached?"
1/04/2013 01:58:00 PM
* Stroger Sr. to Stroger Jr. on the Cook County Board
* Mayor of Rosemont for fifty years and then died, office passed to son in similar midnight ceremony, public not invited...
1/04/2013 04:52:00 PM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Old man Lipinski did the same thing. Got re-elected and within a month retired and "GAVE" the job to his kid (who at the time was a professor at some college in Tennessee - and hadn't even lived in Illinois for 20 years!)
WTF!!!!!!!
CPD can NOT seek an override if the CCSAO does not "hear" the facts and then "review" the case. without a REJECTION, an override can not be sought. The game in that office is just CI the case regardless of what the detectives and officers have done, CI means cops have to do more before a "review" can be completed
Thats the way its done, but if you are successful in getting an override, it is a waste of time because the ASA will drop the case the first time up. At that point they just tell the just they do not want to prosecute the case and the CPD has nothing to say about the decision. Has happened to my cases a few times
to 1206
"one form or another of felony review" you are comparing apples and oranges. Other counties have nothing even close to our review. I have worked with many dets. around the state and country and they are all shocked to learn of Cook County's review system. Go to another county and watch them get a search or arrest warrant. you will be shocked
1/04/2013 10:16:00 AM
This is absolutely true. I saw an officer in Will County get a search warrant within 5 minutes. Verbal approval. Over the phone. I couldn't believe it-no BS paperwork, pleading, time wasted, etc. A simple cell phone call and a statement of facts. Amazing!
I hope it haunts them every day of there lives.... Remember that when you catch them doing something against the law,call the medea right away before they can make there clout call.
I think you meant "their" and "media" - aside from
that, you are a genius.
To 1:58 pretty much any politician can step down and replace their spot until the next election.
I'm not in any way defending Anita, but when you say that felony review "provides countless well paying patronage jobs for the connected bottom-of-the-barrel law school grads who can't find actual employment or don't want to spend years researching legal briefs," you just sound unintelligent and uninformed. Do you even know what the average salary of an ASA is? I do, and it's not reflective of a "well paying" job by any stretch of the imagination. Those who are "lifers" are certainly not in it for the money. Likewise, there are plenty of ASAs who actually care about the work they do, aren't political hacks and are just as upset when charges aren't approved. But the reality is that more often than not, when charges aren't approved, it's because they are thinking down the road to the felony preliminary hearing, the grand jury, the motion to suppress, the trial, the appeal, etc. In other words, they're doing their job by evaluating the factual basis (i.e., the evidence) upon which charges will be based and brought. I don't know a single ASA who relishes in the idea of letting a rapist, killer, drug dealer, or banger go without charges, but the alternative isn't much better (i.e., NG or reverse conviction, lawsuit against POs for false arrest, conspiracy, malicious prosecution, etc., punitive damages out of the POs pockets, etc.). I realize that CPD and CCSAO don't always see eye-to-eye on things, and again, I'm not defending Anita or her bullshit policies. But I am defending the hard-working men and women who prosecute the shitheads of Cook County on a daily basis and try to do the best they can with the shit hand they've been dealt (think 500+ felony cases in one room with 3 ASAs). To categorically refer to the entire office as a group of "bottom-of-the-barrel" attorneys is clearly not a very cogent thought process.
---------------------------
Wow. Someone with something intelligent to say. Just when it appeared this blog was turning into a bunch of whining, uninformed haters. When the rest of you know nothing about felony review, it's easy to let your ignorance shine through. But, it just perpetuated misinformation.
jessie b sayin huh
Just a thought...
It sure seems like a whole bunch of people from CCSAO have a lot to say on a Police blog.
The Police are just working this job like they have no friends.
It's called survival.
Policemen ARE disposable in Chicago-Cook County, Il.
Right?
Must be nice to lay your head on your pillow without having nightmares of losing everything to the whim of political happenstance.
What's that like? We've forgotten how that can feel.
Gotta keep tabs on the enemy, huh?
"Where are the Police and what are they doing?"
Anonymous said...
I don't know about Cicero but on Cpd u can get a felony override from a street deputy in cases other than murder. So it probably came down to Cicero and states attorney just thinking this was just a case of another westsider off his meds. Get his funky ass medicated and release him back into the wild.
1/04/2013 12:45:00 AM
"Street Deputy" huh? Been a while since you had an override hasn't it. We don't have Street Deputies anymore.
1/04/2013 08:04:00 AM
No "Felony Override" in Cicero-Fourth District! We had a great retired Chicago Boss become our Chief: Tom Rowan. When he came to work in Cicero, he desparetly tried to get "Felony Override
approved. As "Heavy" as he was in the city, the Irish Elite Supervisory ASA's: Colin Simpson and now Maureen O'Brien, from the Fourth District, absolutelty forbade it! Chief Rowan did get us "I-Bond" books. Previously, all arrestees had to go to morning BOND Court. This is why we call working in Cicero-BEDROCK. The polcies, equipment and tactics are straight out of the "Stone Age!"
felonies can be charged in Rockford without ASA review but there is review with some cases, mainly when felony arrest warrants are sought.
I'm a suburban cop, NOT in Cook county. I have many friends both CPD and others who work for various agencies in Cook County. TO ALL THE CCSAO PEOPLE WHO HAVE DECIDED TO SPOT OFF ON THIS BLOG, PLEASE LISTEN UP. CAN ALL THESE COPS FROM ALL THESE VARIOUS POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN COOK COUNTY BE WRONG. CAN THEY ALL BE WRONG IN SAYING THE COOK COUNTY STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS FUCKED UP. CAN THEY ALL BE WRONG WHEN THEY SAY HOW TERRIBLE THE FELONY REVIEW SYSTEM IS. Look you jagoffs, how can 100's, maybe thousands, of coppers I've met(20 years)in Cook County be wrong. And it's not a select few. It's every copper I've ever met says these things. Please answer me. Why? I read one post that stated "when charges aren't approved, it's because they are thinking down the road to the felony preliminary hearing, the grand jury, the motion to suppress, the trial, the appeal, etc. In other words, they're doing their job by evaluating the factual basis". I SAY BULLSHIT!!! These cops know the law and know what probable cause is you asshat!!! Probable cause is the factual basis you prick! I know your full of shit when you follow your intelligent quip by martyring the CCSAO and stating, in a nut shell, that they are protecting the officers, giving the reasoning of: "reverse conviction, lawsuit against POs for false arrest, conspiracy, malicious prosecution, etc., punitive damages out of the POs pockets". FUCK YOU, YOU'RE PROTECTING YOUR OWN CONVICTION RATE. If you cared about the officer then your number #1 priority should be making sure the shithead is charged and sent to prison so he or she won't victimize another.
"...To categorically refer to the entire office as a group of "bottom-of-the-barrel" attorneys is clearly not a very cogent thought process."
plus one
Interesting.....Now I know the real reason crime is supposedly down. The numbers can be manipulated any way chosen for the desired result. This state is doomed.
citizen posting - I have a friend whose husband was arrested for trying to murder her 2 months ago, has numerous violent felonies, and she told me he is getting out this month. She thought he would be given mandatory years but poof- 2 1/2 months, AND he was on parole when arrested. So what can a citizen do to get all these stories aired to public? I tell people to go on your blog to educate themselves and dont take sarcasm serious, that's why they call it sarcasm. But it seems like alot of people don't want to hear the truth, but I do. And I always tell people to shut up when they try to bash you guys, AND I've experienced hostility myself but knew my attitude played a part (i was younger)Not all of us are blind and I read your blog to keep my eyes wide open. So keep talking...and stay safe.
Anonymous said...
Any cop that thinks the ASA's office likes or respect the CPD in any way shape or form is completely insane!!!! They do not care for you at all. They look at you with distain covered up with a smile and a good line of bullshit. Please do not think they are your friend, because they would serve you up in a second and toss you in jail twice as fast as any shithead out there.
1/04/2013 07:26:00 PM
You don't know what you are talking about.
I deal with felony review on a weekly basis. They work in a county where juries routinely let criminals go. They are constantly evaluated by their bosses. They can be fired if they are not doing their job. They have a much higher burden for conviction and a much harder job than ASAs in any other county in this country.
Out of the hundreds of ASAs I've dealt with over the past ten years, there were maybe 5 that were no good. These people work long hours with no overtime. They have much more dedication and drive to put criminals in jail than the average beat cop.
Their biggest problem is that they deal with a police department where the vast majority of cops do not understand the law.
Old man Lipinski did the same thing. Got re-elected and within a month retired and "GAVE" the job to his kid (who at the time was a professor at some college in Tennessee - and hadn't even lived in Illinois for 20 years!)
WTF!!!!!!!
1/04/2013 08:40:00 PM
* "Papa Doc" to "Baby Doc" Duvalier.
Great place to live we've got, huh?
Felony franks er review is a joke. I got a guy with cannabis and a gun in a car unloaded. Under state law that's an automatic upgrade. Denied. Such a joke. That's why i just do the bare minimum/ I haven't spoken with felony franks over a year. I don't miss it.
Anonymous said...
"Chicago Ald. Richard Mell (33rd) stepping down after 38 years. Daughter Deb, a state rep, will take his seat
-----
"Just WHEN did political office begin to have a RIGHT TO SUCCESSION attached?"
1/04/2013 01:58:00 PM
* Stroger Sr. to Stroger Jr. on the Cook County Board
* Mayor of Rosemont for fifty years and then died, office passed to son in similar midnight ceremony, public not invited...
1/04/2013 04:52:00 PM
Anonymous said...
To 1:58 pretty much any politician can step down and replace their spot until the next election.
1/04/2013 09:03:00 PM
---------
Yes, I get that it obscenely happens much too often.
My question was, "Just WHEN did political office begin to have a RIGHT TO SUCCESSION attached?"
Anonymous said...
So, wait. In a child abuse case...we need parents to sign complaints against themselves??? Anita? Help? I'm confused.
1/04/2013 12:52:00 PM
No. You call the Children's Advocacy Center and have one of the detectives walk you through the case, to make sure Anita's people can't lose your case for you.
Just take a look at who is left at the CCSAO. Most if not all of the "Old timers" were either, fired, asked to leave, or retired after Anita got in (per Dan Kirk -xxx agenda)(anti Bob Milan faction). So who is left... Most of the people that knew what was the "right thing" to do is either in private practice or in other counties being ASA's.
Anita getting to the bottom of this is just funny, if it was not so sad that such a horrific act had to take place. We all know that it is easier for the ASA's to lose a misd., than a felony. How many times have we seen a " knowingly and w/o authority shot x", charged as a misd. ASA's just put it on and let a Judge find the gang banger not guilty. Better than losing a Felony. Just saying... Old timer from 4th Dist CPD.
@ 1/05/2013 12:57:00 AM...
YOU ARE SO FULL OF SHIT!
Coppers know the damn law and how to apply it...
Things get fucked up when felony review wants to have a "telephone trial" which IS BULLSHIT!
Read these comments on this thread...
When THIS MANY people, even in this relatively small sampling who are Police & civilians from jurisdictions within and outside crook county are saying CCSAO is fucked-up? Well... Then CCSAO IS fucked-up!
As far as felony review?
Nothing but an intentional political stumbling block put in the way of The Police effectively using the law as written to keep mad dogs locked away from the rest of society.
Also, when a member of inner party royalty steps on their their pee-pee... Felony Review acts as a buffer to keep things off track until the inner party can align the switches properly so that nobody belonging to an inner party somebody ends up getting blown up at a crossing.
In Cook County, politics dictate that Justice be "fully occupied" while on her back with her robes hiked up...
Neither the public nor The Police have a prayer here...
GFAK... You haven't a clue.
Their biggest problem is that they deal with a police department where the vast majority of cops do not understand the law.
1/05/2013 12:57:00 AM
This is a comment that I have to agree with. As a retired CPD who now does corporate work in the city and suburbs, I find a vast difference between them on their knowledge of the law and dhow they conduct daily business. More training and supervision is the answer. Sergeants in the detective division are there for show only and to just sign reports without reading them or supervising cases.
Felony review has been a bullshit screening process for political means for many years, long before Alveraz. It has not been run right since the mid-70's when they found out they could run rough shod over the cops.
Anonymous said...
Any cop that thinks the ASA's office likes or respect the CPD in any way shape or form is completely insane!!!! They do not care for you at all. They look at you with distain covered up with a smile and a good line of bullshit. Please do not think they are your friend, because they would serve you up in a second and toss you in jail twice as fast as any shithead out there.
1/04/2013 07:26:00 PM
You don't know what you are talking about.
I deal with felony review on a weekly basis. They work in a county where juries routinely let criminals go. They are constantly evaluated by their bosses. They can be fired if they are not doing their job. They have a much higher burden for conviction and a much harder job than ASAs in any other county in this country.
Out of the hundreds of ASAs I've dealt with over the past ten years, there were maybe 5 that were no good. These people work long hours with no overtime. They have much more dedication and drive to put criminals in jail than the average beat cop.
Their biggest problem is that they deal with a police department where the vast majority of cops do not understand the law.
..........................,.
I agree. The great majority of ASA's want convictions a much as we do. I also agree that one of the bid problems that hey have is a lack of understanding about what is needed for a conviction, or even getting something charged on the part of the police. I'm two years retired but I spent some time as a desk Sgt the last couple years of my career. I can't tell you how many times either myself or the w/c had to explain things to people regarding the way that paper was written or charges were sought. I'm not complaining, that was a part of the job, and a part that I enjoyed quite frankly because I remember getting helped when I was new and needed guidance. Playing it forward I guess. The ASA has to live with what he is told by the arresting officers, most often through a detective. If you don't get it right they will not approve.
I gotta tell you, there are some aspects of the job that I miss, but the one thing I really miss is the look on jag offs face when the judge or jury say "guilty". Priceless.
Be safe out there.
"You call the Children's Advocacy Center and have one of the detectives walk you through the case, to make sure Anita's people can't lose your case for you."
1/05/2013 01:53:00 AM
Nearly 50,000 hits on this group. Another huge nationwide NGO I never heard of before.
Interesting setup.
"ASAs on review don't have political ties and don't get highly paid. No overtime and they're making the same amount roughly as when they were hired by the office nearly 5-7 years prior with maybe 1 or 2 COLA raises.
1/04/2013 05:56:00 AM
Stay off the blog anita."
An ASA with actual political clout will not have to be on FRU long. Nobody wants, and everybody dreads being assigned to felony review.
<< Home