Stories by Matt Masterson
‘She Was the Hope of Her Family’: Sentencing Underway in Yingying Zhang Murder Case
Until this week, jurors knew little about Yingying Zhang, other than how she died. Federal prosecutors on Monday sought to paint a better picture of the visiting Chinese scholar through the words of her friends and loved ones.
Life or Death: What’s Next in Trial of Brendt Christensen
As in any criminal case, after a defendant is found guilty, the court moves on to sentencing. But things operate differently when the defendant faces a possible death sentence.
Brendt Christensen Defense Team Wants Evidence Tossed or Sentencing Delayed
Federal defenders are seeking a four-week delay to review and translate videos of Yingying Zhang and her family if that evidence is allowed at sentencing.
7 Arrested After ‘Bean’ Sculpture Vandalized Overnight
Police say charges are currently pending against six adults and one possible juvenile accused of spray-painting the Bean and Cancer Survivor Wall in Maggie Daley Park.
Police: Chicago Shootings Hit 4-Year Low Through First Half of 2019
There were more than 50 shootings this past weekend in Chicago. Despite that, the total number of shootings in the city is at its lowest point since 2015, police say.
Brendt Christensen Offered to Reveal Location of Yingying Zhang’s Body
Motion claims offer was made to feds months after Christensen’s arrest
Attorneys for Brendt Christensen say he offered to cooperate with investigators and disclose what he did with the Chinese scholar’s remains in return for a life sentence just six months after his 2017 arrest.
CPS Taking New Look at Punishments for Marijuana, Substance Abuse
As Gov. J.B. Pritzker signs legislation to legalize recreational marijuana, Chicago Public Schools is looking to rewrite portions of its student bylaws on pot and other controlled substances.
Brendt Christensen Found Guilty in Kidnapping, Death of Yingying Zhang
Brendt Christensen has been found guilty in the kidnapping and death of Chinese scholar Yingying Zhang, setting the stage for what could be the first death sentence handed down within Illinois since the state abolished capital punishment in 2011.
Christensen Drove Car 200 Miles in Days Surrounding Zhang’s Disappearance
Defendant’s ex-wife says she knows he’s responsible for Yingying Zhang’s death
The body of Yingying Zhang has never been found, but the vehicle she was last seen entering was allegedly driven hundreds of miles in the days before and after her disappearance. More from the high-profile trial of Brendt Christensen.
‘She is Gone’: Christensen Bragged About Zhang’s Death, Former Girlfriend Says
Brendt Christensen appeared “excited” and laughed when talking about killing Yingying Zhang, his former girlfriend testified Thursday at Christensen’s death-penalty trial.
Brendt Christensen Seemed ‘Excited’ and ‘Amused’ by FBI’s Interest, Former Girlfriend Testifies
During testimony Wednesday, Terra Bullis described her past relationship with Brendt Christensen and how she came to wear a wire for FBI investigators who believe he is responsible for the disappearance of Chinese scholar Yingying Zhang.
Closing Arguments Expected This Week in Death-Penalty Trial of Brendt Christensen
Federal prosecutors and Brendt Christensen’s defense team are each expected to call their final witnesses before Friday. Among those slated to testify: Christensen’s former girlfriend, who wore a wire for the FBI, and his ex-wife.
Brendt Christensen Researched Rape Fantasies Before Kidnapping Scholar
“I want to test my limits and experience everything,” Brendt Christensen wrote in his profile on Fetlife.com, a social media site for adults with alternative sexual interests, weeks before Yingying Zhang disappeared.
Refugee Graduate of Sullivan High School Earns Full Ride to UIC
Alaaulldin Al Ibrahim, or “Al” to his friends, was born in Syria, moved to Jordan and eventually resettled as a refugee in Chicago. This fall he’ll attend the University of Illinois at Chicago on a full scholarship to study pre-med.
Why Brendt Christensen Can be Sentenced to Death in a State That Abolished the Death Penalty
Illinois banned capital punishment in 2011, but a state resident now faces a possible death sentence in a first-of-its-kind murder trial since that ban took effect. A Northwestern law professor explains how that’s possible.
Read: Full Transcript of Opening Statements in Brendt Christensen Trial
Reporters are allowed into the courtroom where Brendt Christensen is on trial, but electronic devices are not. Read the court transcript of Wednesday’s stunning opening arguments.
Defense Attorney: ‘Brendt Christensen Killed Yingying Zhang’
Christensen’s attorneys admit he is responsible for death of Chinese scholar
“Brendt Christensen is responsible for the death of Yingying Zhang,” federal defender George Taseff told a packed court Wednesday inside the Peoria federal courthouse. Despite the admission, Christensen is not changing his not guilty plea.
Lawsuit: ‘Deliberate Indifference’ of U. of I. Social Workers Allowed Scholar’s Kidnapping
The federal lawsuit claims university social workers should have done more to address the “homicidal ideations” of Brendt Christensen, who is charged in the kidnapping and death of Yingying Zhang.
Chicago Police Officer Charged in Fatal DUI Crash
Terrance Finley, 24, was charged Tuesday with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI after he allegedly drove into an Auburn Gresham neighborhood restaurant, killing a 35-year-old woman.
Brendt Christensen Defense Team Wants Mental Health Records of Key Witness
Attorneys for the man charged with the kidnapping and death of a Chinese scholar at the University of Illinois are demanding access to mental health treatment records from his girlfriend, who wore a wire for federal investigators.
2-Year Anniversary of Chinese Scholar’s Disappearance as Death-Penalty Case Begins
Sunday marks the two-year anniversary of Yingying Zhang’s disappearance. Her kidnapping has left a mark on the University of Illinois campus as the trial of the man accused of her killing gets underway.
R. Kelly Pleads Not Guilty to New Sexual Abuse Charges
The R&B superstar pleaded not guilty to several new criminal charges relating to a 16-year-old victim he allegedly sexually abused between 2009 and 2010.
Silicon Valley Businessman Convicted in Chicago of Defrauding Investors
For years, Jeffrey Batio promised investors a revolutionary 3-in-1 laptop device. Prosecutors say it was all a lie that allowed him to defraud investors out of millions of dollars.
Death Penalty, Religious Questions Highlight Day 1 of Brendt Christensen Trial
Former Ph.D. student accused in kidnapping, death of missing Illinois scholar
One prospective juror in the high-profile case said she’d have difficulty sentencing someone to death because “God doesn’t want us to take revenge.”
Kim Foxx: False Rumor Caused Recusal in Jussie Smollett Case
As she releases 2,000 pages of documents related to the high-profile case, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx claims she recused herself because of a false rumor that she was related to the “Empire” actor.
Judge to Decide if Special Prosecutor Needed In Jussie Smollett Case
Ruling date scheduled for June 21
A Cook County judge will decide next month whether a special prosecutor is needed to review the handling of the Jussie Smollett case by the state’s attorney’s office.
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