The Illinois State Police issued emergency rules last week dealing with the Concealed Carry License Review Board’s (CCLRB) denial of concealed carry permits. The new rules were created after dozens of lawsuits and more than 200 petitions for review were filed by Illinois residents whose concealed carry permits were denied…
Chicago Criminal Lawyer Blog
New Legislation Aimed at Increasing Regulations for Illinois Sex Offenders
Elgin police are asking local legislators to enact legislation that would make it easier to arrest individuals convicted of Illinois sex crimes who fail to comply with sex offender registration requirements. Illinois law requires all registered sex offenders to notify local law enforcement within three days of moving. But Elgin…
Illinois Appellate Court Denies Claim of Double Jeopardy
A Will County, Illinois man whose conviction on charges of predatory sexual assault was overturned by the Illinois Appellate Court, lost on his bid to have the re-trial on those same charges dismissed due to concerns that the prosecution violated his right against double jeopardy. Double Jeopardy in Illinois Sexual…
Possession of Child Pornography in Chicago
Hundreds of pictures and more than a dozen videos found on a Chicago man’s computer have led to charges of possession of child pornography, a class 2 felony. If convicted, the charge carries a mandatory minimum of four to 15 years in prison, or 30 years if any of the…
United States Supreme Court Bans Cell Phone Searches
The United States Supreme Court strengthened an individual’s right to be free from unlawful search and seizures last week when it ruled that, barring certain limited exceptions, law enforcement may not search a criminal suspect’s cell phone without a warrant. Riley v. California Bans Warrantless Cell Phone Searches Riley v.…
Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm Near Chicago School
A Chicago man was charged with aggravated battery, aggravated discharge of a firearm and aggravated discharge of a firearm near a school in late May following a shooting of a man near a Lawndale elementary school. Chicago Aggravated Discharge of Firearm You can find an in-depth discussion on the differences…
Cook County Mother Convicted of Criminal Neglect in Death of Son
A Berwyn woman was convicted in May of three felony counts of criminal neglect in the 2011 death of her 14-year-old son, who was disabled. She had originally been charged with child endangerment, but those charges were dropped. The son, who had been found in the front yard of the…
Gang Death Results in Murder Charge for Chicago Man
A Chicago man was charged on July 1 with murder, which police believe was gang-related. The suspect was arrested on a warrant and allegedly confessed. Defense in Illinois Murder Case Defending against an Illinois murder charge is multi-faceted. The prosecution’s case must be attacked from all sides, beginning with the…
Chicago Man Charged with Aggravated Discharge of Firearm
A Chicago man was charged last week with aggravated discharge of a firearm after firing shots at another vehicle on the Dan Ryan Expressway. The victim’s car sideswiped a second vehicle, causing it to crash into a center divider. Additional charges are expected to be filed. Chicago Aggravated Discharge of…
Illinois Supreme Court Rules Against Certain Mandatory Minimum Sentences
About 100 Illinois inmates who were sentenced to life in prison for murders they committed as youths will have the opportunity to have their sentences re-visited thanks to a 2012 Illinois Supreme Court decision. Illinois Supreme Court Rules Life in Prison for Juvenile Murder Offenders Unconstitutional Before People v. Williams,…