During the past eight years, city officials have paid at least $11.2 million to hire private attorneys to defend former Sgt. Ronald Watts and the officers he supervised, despite his criminal conviction and the hundreds of people he helped convict who have been exonerated.

The showdown set for Wednesday is the latest inflection point in the monthslong debate over whether ShotSpotter is an irreplaceable tool in the fight against gun violence or a waste of taxpayer funds.

During the first six months of 2024, Chicago taxpayers paid $40.5 million to resolve lawsuits alleging police officers committed misconduct, records show.

Thirty people were shot in 27 separate incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Sunday. 

In an interview with WTTW News, Kennedy Bartley, 29, the managing deputy for external relations, said she feels deep regret about what she said in the wake of the August 2019 killing of Elijah McClain, of Aurora, Colorado. She declined to express regret for posting “From the river to the sea. Palestine will be free. Amen!”

In all, Chicago taxpayers spent $197.8 million to resolve 42 lawsuits brought by more than three dozen people wrongfully convicted based on evidence gathered by the Chicago Police Department between Jan. 1, 2019, and April 30, 2024, according to an analysis of city data by WTTW News.

Officer Ella French was shot and killed during a traffic stop on Aug. 7, 2021. Emonte Morgan was found guilty of first-degree murder and attempted murder.

If the verdict is upheld, it would be equivalent to more than 60% of Chicago’s annual $82 million budget to cover the cost of police misconduct lawsuits.

Victims of shootings in Chicago ranged in age from 21 to 38 years old. 

Three and a half years after 13-year-old Adam Toledo’s death spurred demonstrations and renewed calls for police reform, the lawsuit filed by his parents is set to go to trial Nov. 6, ramping up the pressure on lawyers for the city to negotiate a settlement in the high-profile case or face a trial that could lead to a multimillion-dollar jury verdict.

Though murders were down 12% from August 2023, the number of shootings and shooting victims was slightly higher, according to Chicago Police Department data.

“The Chicago Police Department is transforming,” said Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling, who was present during a majority of the protests and wore a body camera. “This is a transformation.”

According to preliminary Chicago Police Department data, 29 people were shot in 27 separate incidents between 6 p.m. Friday and 11:59 p.m. Monday.

Ronnie Hunt was charged with conveying articles useful for the escape of a prisoner, Mississippi Department of Public Safety spokesperson Bailey Martin said Tuesday. Martin said “additional charges are probable.” She did not respond to a question about whether Hunt is represented by an attorney.

According to Chicago Police Department data, 35 people were shot over the weekend in 28 separate incidents.

WTTW News Director Jay Smith sat down with our political team to reflect on the Democratic National Convention for a behind-the-scenes look at what covering the convention was like, and to help provide insights into the stories that emerged from the week.