Stories by Matt Masterson

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago announced it seized approximately $1.4 million of cryptocurrency, which will be now returned to people who lost their money through an alleged fraud scheme.

There have been 64 homicides recorded through February, according to the Chicago Police Department, and 292 shooting victims from 253 total shootings.

Officer Ella French was shot and killed during a traffic stop on Aug. 7, 2021. Emonte Morgan, 23, is charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder.

According to Chicago Police Department data, 29 people were shot in 24 separate incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Monday.

U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber on Thursday ruled that the “ComEd Four” will not be sentenced until after the high court issues its ruling in a separate case involving James Snyder, a former Indiana mayor who was found guilty of accepting a bribe.

Ex-Chicago police Officer Carlos Yanez Jr., who was critically wounded in the shooting that left his partner Ella French dead, said he has no recollection of the altercation itself, which left him severely injured.

A sea of Chicago police officers and officials filled Judge Ursula Walowski’s fifth-floor courtroom as opening statements got underway at the Leighton Criminal Court Building Tuesday, more than two and a half years after Officer Ella French was killed.

According to the Chicago Police Department, four people were killed by gunfire and another 17 people were wounded in separate shootings between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

Jury selection in the trial of Emonte Morgan is set to begin Monday at the Leighton Criminal Court Building — more than two and a half years after he allegedly shot and killed the 29-year-old police officer.

The DNC is scheduled to run from Aug. 19-22 at the United Center. Classes this fall for CPS students are now slated to begin Aug. 26 and run until June 12, 2025.

The seven-member board unanimously approved the resolution, which directs CPS CEO Pedro Martinez to implement a new whole school safety policy, which “must make explicit that the use of SROs within District schools will end by the start of the 2024-2025 school year.”

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office announced Kashawn Perdue, 17, and a 14-year-old juvenile boy have both been charged with first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder following the Jan. 31 killing of Daveon Gibson.

Robert Crimo III had briefly been set to go to trial this week after he temporarily demanded to represent himself. But after he changed his mind, Judge Victoria Rossetti on Wednesday reset the initial Feb. 24, 2025 trial date.

Mayor Brandon Johnson announced the lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court, against BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil, Phillips 66, Shell and their largest trade association, the American Petroleum Institute.

A new resolution from the city’s Board of Education directs Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez to enact a new whole school safety policy, which “must make explicit that the use of SROs within District schools will end by the start of the 2024-2025 school year.”

According to Chicago Police Department data, 19 people were injured or killed in 16 separate shootings between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Monday.

District officials are lauding the findings from Harvard and Stanford researchers, which showed CPS was first in reading recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic among large school districts across the country.

Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office records indicate Jean Carlos Martinez Rivero’s death was ruled “natural” and attributed to sepsis and other viruses, including COVID-19, adenovirus and rhinovirus/enterovirus.

Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Iris Martinez on Thursday cut the ribbon on her office’s new Expungement Department, housed at the Leighton Criminal Court Building at 26th Street and California Avenue.

The Board of Education next week will vote on whether to replace Aramark with seven other vendor companies to provide custodial and professional services for district schools.

During a hearing Tuesday, Fitzgerald’s attorney Dan Webb argued that the case would have to go to trial later this year in order for Fitzgerald to have any chance of getting a job during the next coaching cycle ahead of the 2025 college football season.

U.S. District Judge John Kness will hand down the sentence during a hearing in a Chicago courtroom Monday — more than five months after Mapes was convicted of making false declarations and attempted obstruction of justice.

Judge Virginia Kendall initially set his sentencing date for June 19 — which is also the Juneteenth holiday — but on Friday she pushed that date back to June 24.

Chicago police on Friday announced criminal charges against two girls, ages 12 and 17, after they allegedly stole thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from a half dozen different stores over the past few weeks and months.

The city’s current contract with SoundThinking — which was previously known as ShotSpotter — expires Feb. 16. Mayor Brandon Johnson made a campaign promise to end the contract, but has not yet indicated whether he’ll renew the deal.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, renters and homeowners have until 11:59 p.m. Friday to apply for the disaster assistance, which comes more than five months after rain and flooding wreaked havoc around Cook County.