The Thin Blue Line Between Murder and Mistake
The Death of George Floyd This week, Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis Police Officer convicted for the May 20, 2020 murder of George Floyd, was sentenced to a prison term of 22 ½ years, short of the 30 years in prison the prosecutors had requested. The judicial decision went beyond the 12 ½ year sentence...
Read MoreChicago Police Shooting of Adam Toledo and the Importance of Video Evidence
During the early morning hours of March 29th, in a dark alley in the Chicago Little Village neighborhood, 13 year-old Adam Toledo was shot by police and later died. In the wake of the recent deaths of George Floyd and Daunte Wright at the hands of Minneapolis Police and with a rising national consensus calling for...
Read MoreThe Derek Chauvin Trial and the Importance of Witness Testimony
When describing their cases, some clients commonly tell us that their case should be a “slam dunk” in court because “it’s just my word against hers (or his)”. When this is said, what they’re suggesting is that if there are no witnesses that come forth, and if each side tells a different story, then how...
Read MoreHidden Cameras Lead to Criminal Charges and Lawsuits in Chicago
Recently, eleven former and current employees of Aspen Dental in Crestwood filed lawsuits for civil damages arising from illegal videotaping that occurred in the office’s bathroom area. In addition to potential money damages which may follow from the pending civil cases, criminal charges for the person accused of planting these hidden cameras have been filed...
Read MoreHow to “Press Charges” on a Chicago Criminal Case
You’ve been the victim of a crime in Chicago and want to make sure that the responsible party is brought to justice. So, you contact the local Chicago Police District Station to make a report. Maybe they’ll send out a Chicago Police officer to take the report or depending upon the circumstances, the dispatcher may...
Read MoreCan You Be Arrested Because of How You Smell?
Unless you’ve purposely rolled in cow manure to annoy your neighbor, the answer of course is “no.” Not everyone smells as wonderful as you do, but a lack of personal hygiene has never been a crime in Chicago or elsewhere. Otherwise, that kid that you remember from High School might still be in jail. Take...
Read MoreWhat Should I Do if I Have a Warrant for My Arrest in Chicago?
First, let’s discuss why you might have a warrant in the first place whether in Chicago or anywhere else in Illinois. There are basically two common situations. Sometimes, a warrant is issued because you failed to comply with a lawful court order and other times it’s because the police have filed a new case against...
Read MoreCan I be Arrested for Road Rage in Chicago?
You’re driving down the street minding your own business when seemingly out of nowhere, another car cuts you off. You jam on your brakes to avoid an accident and as the other driver pulls away, he gives you “the finger”. Or you’re cruising down the Kennedy Expressway through Chicago when another car seems to be...
Read MoreCan Shoplifting Happen by Accident?
An 81 year old Chicago man was recently arrested in Arlington Heights and charged with the criminal offense of Retail Theft (also known as shoplifting). Whereas a “regular” theft involves taking something of value from another person without permission or authority, a retail theft involves taking something of value from a retail establishment. That place...
Read More