Stories by Matt Masterson

Swastika Image Sent to Oak Park and River Forest High School Students

A suburban high school is once again investigating an incident involving an anti-Semitic message sent to students only days after racist messages were found written throughout its campus.

Man Charged With Hate Crime For Allegedly Drawing Swastikas on Buena Park Homes

Chicago police say Heath Levey used chalk to draw the Nazi symbol on fences and garages earlier this month. Levey faces multiple felony hate crime charges.

Community Gathers Record $150K Reward to ID Suspect in Rogers Park Murders

The reward is said to be the largest in the city's history as Chicago police continue their attempts to identify the masked gunman.

Chicago Police Union Severs Ties With Van Dyke Defense Attorney

The Fraternal Order of Police in Chicago will no longer refer cases to Dan Herbert, a private defense attorney and former Chicago police officer who previously worked as an FOP staff attorney.

Chicago Teen Charged in Trio of Carjackings

The 17-year-old suspect now faces two felony counts of aggravated vehicular hijacking with a weapon and one felony count of aggravated possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

McDonald Conspiracy Case Moves Ahead as Judge Refuses to Toss Charges

Three current and former Chicago police officers accused of trying to cover up details of the Laquan McDonald shooting will stand trial for their alleged crimes.

Ogden Principal Removed Amid ‘Falsified’ Attendance Records

Chicago Public Schools on Thursday afternoon announced Ogden Principal Michael Beyer has been “reassigned from his principal duties” months after his school completed a merger with Jenner Elementary.

Chicago Police Sergeant Implicated in Beating of 2 Men Outside Bar

An off-duty sergeant and suburban officer allegedly beat two men in an unprovoked attack outside a gay bar in September. But weeks after they were identified, no criminal charges have been filed.

Suburban Police Chief Found Not Guilty, Other Charges Dropped

Christian Daigre was found not guilty in this case following a bench trial that ended May 15, 2023. Additional charges against him were later dropped by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office.

Jason Van Dyke Makes First Court Appearance Since Murder Conviction

Defense attorneys for the Chicago cop convicted of second-decree murder in the fatal shooting of black teen Laquan McDonald are asking a judge to toss out the convictions or grant a new trial.

Judge Delays Ruling on Request to Toss Charges in McDonald Conspiracy Case

A Cook County judge will decide next week whether she’ll grant a request to dismiss charges against three Chicago police officers accused of working to cover up the shooting death of black teen Laquan McDonald, less than a month before they are set to face trial.

Wrongfully Convicted Man Claims Chicago Police Framed Him for 2000 Murder

The lawsuit claims nine Chicago cops “withheld exculpatory evidence, manipulated witnesses, and misdirected the investigation” in order to frame an innocent man for the murder of a Cook County Sheriff’s deputy.

CPS Enrollment Drops to 360,000 Students

New data shows enrollment at Chicago Public Schools dropped by just over 10,000 students since last year. The district is now in danger of losing its title as the third-largest school district in the country.

Englewood Gang Members Face Federal RICO Charges in Wave of Killings

Members of the Goonie Boss gang faction face federal racketeering and murder charges stemming from nearly a dozen Englewood killings between 2014 and 2016.

The Trial of Jason Van Dyke is Over, But His Appeal Has Not Yet Begun

Legal experts weigh in on Jason Van Dyke’s impending appeal as the Chicago police officer returns to court next week for the first time since his second-degree murder conviction.

‘Functional Explosive’ Devices Sent to Homes of Obama, Clinton

Chicago police say there are no known local threats

Chicago police say there are no known threats to the city and they are in “real-time communication” with the Secret Service after explosive devices were reportedly sent to former President Barack Obama and other high-profile politicians.

Chicago Officers to be Equipped with Narcan Through New Pilot Program

The Chicago Police Department will outfit officers in a half-dozen South and West Side districts with an opioid overdose-reversal medicine as part of a $2 million federal grant.

Chicago Man Charged With Aiding ISIS Through Social Media

A North Side man allegedly used Twitter, Facebook and other social media applications to spread propaganda, recruit operatives, encourage terrorist attacks and provide aid to ISIS.

Madigan, Emanuel Announce 4 Finalists to Oversee Chicago Police Reform

A retired judge, a former U.S. prosecutor and a local firm reviewing Chicago Public Schools’ response to sexual misconduct are among the finalists to oversee police reforms in the city.

LGBTQ Publication Suing Illinois Prison Officials Over Censored Materials

Local attorneys filed a suit on behalf of the Chicago chapter of Black & Pink – a nonprofit that offers prisoners news updates on LGBTQ issues through a monthly newsletter and other publications.

New Partnership Will Give Stateville Inmates a Chance to Earn NU Credits

A first-of-its-kind program in Illinois allows inmates to earn college credits and liberal arts degrees inside the maximum-security prison some 40 miles from Chicago.

COPA Releases Footage of Off-Duty Officer Shooting Unarmed Teen

New video shows an off-duty Chicago police officer shooting and wounding an unarmed, developmentally disabled teen as he stood outside a Far South Side home late last summer.

GoFundMe Campaign Started to Support Van Dyke Family

A fundraiser started by one of Jason Van Dyke’s trial attorneys has raised more than $43,000 in one week to support the family of the suspended Chicago police officer.

McDonald Cover-Up? How Van Dyke Verdict May Affect Police Conspiracy Trial

Jason Van Dyke is the first Chicago police officer to be convicted for an on-duty shooting in 50 years. Sentencing and an appeal are sure to follow, but as that case comes to a close, another is yet to begin.

Jason Van Dyke Transferred From Cook County Jail Amid Safety Concerns

The suspended Chicago police officer, who was convicted last week in the shooting death of Laquan McDonald, is being sent to Rock Island County Jail nearly three hours away.

Van Dyke Prosecutor Joseph McMahon Reflects on High-Profile Trial

The special prosecutor in the Jason Van Dyke murder trial talks with us about one of the highest-profile cases in Chicago history.
 

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