Stories by Matt Masterson

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.

‘I Feel That We Gave a Good Verdict’: Van Dyke Jurors Speak Out After Trial

Jurors explain how they came to their decision in the high-profile murder trial.

Jason Van Dyke Found Guilty of Second-Degree Murder

A 12-person jury has found Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke guilty of second-degree murder for the 2014 shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.

Jury Deliberations Begin in Jason Van Dyke Murder Trial

After nearly three weeks of witness testimony from police officers, medical and law enforcement experts, and police Officer Jason Van Dyke himself, the 12-person jury began deliberations in the high-profile murder case.

Closing Arguments in Jason Van Dyke Murder Trial Set for Thursday

Jurors heard from more than 40 witness over the past two-plus weeks, including emotional testimony from Jason Van Dyke himself. On Thursday, they’ll hear closing arguments before beginning their deliberations.

Jason Van Dyke Takes Witness Stand, Tearfully Recounts Fatal Shooting

The suspended Chicago police officer spent more than an hour on the witness stand Tuesday, recounting how and why he killed teen Laquan McDonald in 2014. Updates from the high-profile murder trial.

Firearms Training, PCP Take Focus as Van Dyke Defense Preps for Week 3

Jurors on Thursday learned how officers, including suspended Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke, are trained in the use of firearms as the second week of the high-profile murder trial came to a close.

Van Dyke Trial Jurors Hear About Knife Attack, Use of Force Policy

Attorneys for suspended Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke wrapped up their third day of defense by calling a truck driver who they believe was attacked by Laquan McDonald the night the fatal shooting, and an instructor from Chicago’s police academy.

Van Dyke Defense Presents Fatal Shooting from Officer’s Perspective

Jason Van Dyke’s attorneys presented expert testimony and an animated video that purports to show how the shooting occurred from Van Dyke’s perspective during the sixth day of the high-profile murder trial.

Van Dyke Defense Opens with Testimony of Laquan McDonald’s Past

Jason Van Dyke is the one facing murder charges, but his attorneys on Monday painted teen Laquan McDonald as a violent drug user who became aggressive when under the influence of PCP.

6 Key Points From Week 1 of the Jason Van Dyke Murder Trial

Prosecutors wrapped up their case this week in the high-profile murder trial, which saw testimony from Jason Van Dyke’s partner, eyewitnesses at the scene and the county’s chief medical examiner. Notes from the first four days of testimony.

State Rests its Case Against Van Dyke as Week 1 of Murder Trial Concludes

After four days of testimony from two dozen witnesses, special prosecutors rested their case against Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke in his murder trial for the shooting of teen Laquan McDonald. 
 

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