Trending Topics

Media

Filter






MacArthur Justice Center’s Statement on President Biden’s Federal Death Penalty Commutations

We welcome the fulfillment of President Biden’s promise to commute the death sentences of 37 people on federal death row. The federal death penalty – just like state capital punishment systems – is racist, error-prone, drains public resources, and does not deter crime or make our communities safer. We encourage President Biden to finish the...

Wrongful Convictions – A Billion Dollar Liability For States

Forbes

MacArthur Justice Center’s Alexa Van Brunt announced as 2025 Civil Leadership Academy Fellow

Class of local nonprofit and government fellows embarks on interdisciplinary leadership development program in service of effective governance CHICAGO, IL — The University of Chicago Center for Effective Government (CEG) at the Harris School of Public Policy today announced its 2025 class of Civic Leadership Academy (CLA) fellows—some of the area’s most promising government and...

Chicago City Council OKs $50 million settlement with 4 men wrongfully convicted of 1995 murders

"Charles, Larod, Lashawn, and Troshawn are among the scores of kids who the Chicago Police Department has targeted for false arrest and coercive interrogations over the years, leading to Chicago's reputation as the False Confession Capital of the country," said Alex Van Brunt, Johnson's attorney and the director of the Illinois office of the MacArthur Justice Center, in a statement after the approval of the settlement.

CBS News

City Council approves $50 million settlement to four Chicago men wrongfully imprisoned for total of 73 years

“Charles, Larod, Lashawn, and Troshawn are among the scores of kids who the Chicago Police Department has targeted for false arrest and coercive interrogations over the years, leading to Chicago’s reputation as the False Confession Capital of the country,” says Alexa Van Brunt, Director of the Illinois office of the MacArthur Justice Center and counsel for Charles Johnson.

The end of money bond hasn’t led to an electronic monitoring spike in Chicago—for now

“What will this look like in a year? What happens when the political will sags, or there’s not as much attention on the issue? These are issues we have to be vigilant on,” MJC's Alexa Van Brunt says.

Chicago Reader

Historic Settlement Reached in Family’s Lawsuit for the Unjustified and Fatal Shooting of Andrew Finch

The $5 million settlement – one of the largest in Kansas’ history – is step toward holding the City of Wichita accountable for its pattern of enabling police brutality with impunity.

Wichita settles lawsuit in Andrew Finch killing, the nation’s first fatal swatting

The Wichita City Council on Tuesday approved a $5 million settlement in a federal lawsuit against Wichita police detective Justin Rapp, who killed 28-year-old Andrew Finch in the nation’s first fatal swatting.

The Wichita Eagle

Wichita agrees to $5 million settlement in fatal shooting set off by hoax ‘swatting’ call to police

The City of Wichita has reached a $5 million settlement in a federal lawsuit involving the fatal police shooting of Andrew Finch during a fake emergency call.

KCUR 89.3

Illinois’ highest court halted the law to abolish cash bail in the state. What’s next?

Just before the start of the new year, the Supreme Court of Illinois halted the implementation of a law that would eliminate the practice of cash bail statewide — hours before the bill was set to take effect.

STL NPR

‘What Illinois did is really truly on another level’: Despite legal limbo, elimination of cash bail set to take effect Jan. 1

The Illinois criminal justice system is set for a major makeover beginning Sunday, replacing a cash-bail structure with one that requires judges to more carefully weigh who among the accused should be held in custody before trial without using money as a factor. But for how long the new method will remain in place is unclear.

The Chicago Tribune