Crime & Law
Investigation Finds Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office Objects to 4 of 5 Petitions for Certificates of Innocence
A new investigation by Injustice Watch, a nonprofit newsroom focused on the Cook County court system, revealed that Cook County prosecutors are challenging efforts by wrongfully convicted individuals to clear their names and secure compensation.
Certificates of innocence, created by Illinois lawmakers in 2008, were designed to help exonerees access state compensation and rebuild their lives with better access to jobs and housing.
Under Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neil Burke, the office has reportedly opposed nearly four of every five requests for a certificate.
“When we dug into the court record, what we found was a night-and-day change between how former State’s Attorney Kim Foxx handled these things and how Eileen O’Neil Burke handles them,” said Dan Hinkel, a senior reporter at Injustice Watch and author of the investigation. “Burke has objected to more (petitions) in a year and a half than Kim Foxx objected to in her entire second term.”
The State’s Attorney’s Office said in a statement that “we hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards and will always follow the facts and the law to protect the people of Cook County.”
The statement continues: “The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office is responsible for ensuring that justice is served in every case, including post-conviction claims and righting the wrongs of the past. Our process is modeled after the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and reflects a responsible approach, requiring defendants to elect one avenue of review to ensure their claims are addressed efficiently and effectively.”
Read the Injustice Watch investigation here.
