Stories by Matt Masterson

Attorneys for former Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke believe the 81-month sentence he received last month for the fatal shooting of black teen Laquan McDonald conforms with Illinois law and should not reviewed by the state Supreme Court.

Classes will resume Tuesday at four Chicago International Charter Schools following a two-week long strike that ended early Monday morning.

Plaintiffs claim they were framed by disgraced former police Sgt. Ronald Watts and his tactical team at a South Side housing project, and that a “code of silence” allowed it to happen.

“The next time this could happen they could kill him,” Tiffany Van Dyke told the media through tears at a press conference Thursday. “I cannot bury my husband.”

Former Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke was beaten by his fellow inmates shortly after being transferred to an out-of-state prison, a source close to his family confirms.

Four men were exonerated of false drug convictions Wednesday, joining more than 60 others who’ve been falsely convicted and later exonerated in cases related to former Chicago Police Sgt. Ronald Watts.

Illinois’ top legal officer and the special prosecutor in charge of the Jason Van Dyke murder trial are challenging the legality of the prison sentence handed down to the former Chicago police officer.

A former reading specialist at a Chicago charter school claims she faced retaliation and termination last year after voicing concerns about special education students she believes were illegally denied proper supports.

“I want my mama,” the 9-year-old victim pleaded as he was being beaten with a belt inside his school's bathroom, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday. His attacker told him, “I am your mama.”

Illinois is moving away from the PARCC assessment, but students might not notice much of a difference when the Illinois Board of Education rolls out its new federally mandated exam this spring.

Educators say Chicago International Charter School leadership refuses to use a $36 million surplus on staff raises or classroom improvements. Around 2,200 students are being impacted by the strike.

The lead prosecutor in the Jason Van Dyke murder trial says he’s spoken with the state’s top legal officer about the possibility of challenging the prison sentence handed down to the former Chicago police officer.

Chicago police release surveillance photos in the hopes of identifying a man suspected of robbing a pair of downtown banks in broad daylight last month.

In his first public comments since reporting an attack, actor Jussie Smollett said he’s working with authorities and has been “100% factual,” disputing rumors online that he has been less than forthcoming with Chicago police.

The Chicago Police Department points to an increase in officers and an expansion in technology in helping draw down crime and violence totals in the first 31 days of 2019.

Chicago police are asking for help identifying two persons of interest captured in surveillance images in the area of the Tuesday morning attack of “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett.

U.S. District Judge Robert Dow called the historic decree “an important first step toward needed reforms of the Chicago Police Department and its policies.”

With temperatures nearing record lows across the Midwest, frostbite can occur in a matter of minutes. We ask a local surgeon about frostbite symptoms, treatment and prevention.

“Since temperatures are expected to stay at dangerous levels through Thursday, we are canceling school to ensure families have ample time to plan ahead,” CPS CEO Janice Jackson said in a statement Tuesday.

Attorneys from several legal groups penned a letter on behalf of the slain teen’s great uncle, claiming the former cop received an “illegal” sentence based on reasoning that “cannot be reconciled” with Illinois law.

Tony Smith announced Tuesday that his contract will not be renewed after it ends on Jan. 31, bringing to a close his nearly four-year term as Illinois’ schools chief.

Chicago police are asking for help in identifying two offenders who allegedly attacked a star of the TV series “Empire” in what investigators believe may have been a “racially-charged assault.”

Bail hearings and some pretrial hearings will continue, but all other court operations will be postponed for part of the week in anticipation of a near-record cold snap.

In announcing the plan, the Cook County state’s attorney said her office must avoid “needlessly bringing people into the criminal justice system” and instead focus on prosecuting violent crime cases.

Last week, a Cook County judge handed down an 81-month prison sentence to former Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke. But was a different sentence required? The state attorney general’s office says it’s now taking a look at that decision to see if it fits with state sentencing requirements. 

Nearly three dozen Chicago Public Schools staffers, including 12 teachers, have been removed from schools due to sexual abuse allegations in recent months, according to the district’s watchdog.