Stories by Matt Masterson
Jussie Smollett’s Attorneys Seeking to Reverse Special Prosecutor Ruling
Attorneys for the former “Empire” actor continue to proclaim their client’s innocence, and say a judge’s recent decision to allow a special prosecutor to review criminal charges against the actor is a “travesty of justice.”
Brendt Christensen Sentenced to Life in Prison for Yingying Zhang Killing
Jury fails to reach unanimous decision in death-penalty case
A 12-person jury deliberated for more than eight hours over the course of two days in Peoria’s federal courthouse, but failed to reach a unanimous decision in the death-penalty case.
Brendt Christensen Jury Deliberations Begin After Lengthy Closing Arguments
A 12-person jury is in the process of deciding whether the former Ph.D. candidate will live out the rest of his natural life behind bars or if he’ll be put to death for the kidnapping and killing of Yingying Zhang.
R. Kelly Denied Bond, Pleads Not Guilty to New Federal Charges
The embattled R&B superstar, who has been the subject of sexual assault accusations for decades, won’t be allowed to walk free while facing his latest legal battle.
Jurors Likely to Begin Deliberating Brendt Christensen Sentence This Week
More than a month after they first began hearing testimony, jurors in the trial of Brendt Christensen are likely to begin deliberating this week over his appropriate sentence: life in prison or death.
CTU Threatens Teachers Strike in a Month if No Contract Completed
The head of the Chicago Teachers Union is using the “s” word as their negotiators return to the bargaining table Thursday to continue working toward a new contract with Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago Public Schools.
Juror’s Courtroom Exit Highlights Peculiarity of Brendt Christensen Trial
Defense attorneys called a juror’s actions this week “unprecedented” and sought a mistrial on Wednesday. That request was denied, but the walkout marks one more oddity in the high-profile case.
Christensen Breaks Down During Emotional Testimony from Yingying Zhang’s Family
As he looked down at a photo of his daughter, Ronggao Zhang could not contain himself. He turned away, inhaled sharply and began crying on the witness stand. Then the man convicted of killing Yingying Zhang did the same.
‘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.
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