Seems Like Another Not Great Idea from Our Friends in the City of Broad Shoulders

[Harrison Bergeron 1798]

I cannot imagine what could go wrong ... not to mention pretty racist ...

https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-shooting-violence-austin-police/11079879/

CHICAGO (WLS) -- There is an outcry from the mayor and some Chicago aldermen after men linked by police to a deadly gang shootout in Austin last week were released from custody. Prosecutors declined to charge each of them with a pair of felonies, including first-degree murder.

The mid-morning gunfight, which left one shooter dead and two of the suspects wounded, stemmed from an internal dispute between two gang factions, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

New video from city pod cameras shows what police say is two people pulling up and opening fire at an Austin home. They ducked for cover as the people inside fired back. One person was killed and two others were hurt in the shootout. Three people were arrested.

Police sought to charge all suspects with murder and aggravated battery. By Sunday morning, a Chicago police spokeswoman acknowledged the suspects had "been released without charges."

The Cook County state's attorney's office explained that prosecutors had "determined that the evidence was insufficient to meet our burden of proof to approve felony charges," a state's attorney's office spokeswoman said, adding that police officials agreed with the decision.

But a police report framed the state's attorney's office's decision to decline charges in a different light: "Mutual combatants was cited as the reason for the rejection." Mutual combat is a legal term used to define a fight or struggle that two parties willingly engage in.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot and some West Side aldermen called on Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx to reverse her decision on the case.

"If they do not feel like the criminal justice system is going to hold them accountable, we're going to see a level of brazenness that will send the city into chaos and we cannot let that happen," the mayor said Monday.

Foxx said there was not enough evidence to support felony charges, and police said the people arrested refused to tell them anything. But Lightfoot, herself a former prosecutor, believes there's evidence to make a case.

"I think that there's evidence there. We've got videotape, we have a marked squad of uniformed officers who were on the scene observing it," she said. "At a bare minimum, the individuals who initiated the firefight must be prosecuted."

"I think it goes beyond frustration, I'm furious about it," said 29th Ward Alderman Chris Taliaferro, who oversees the ward where the shooting took place.
The Cook County State's Attorney's Office released a statement in response to the mayor's calls, saying: 

"As a former federal prosecutor, the Mayor knows of the ethical obligation of the prosecutor to only bring forth charges where the facts, evidence, and law support it. She is also fully aware that as a prosecutor we are obligated not to try cases in the media. It is unclear why she has chosen to make such statements, especially absent the full information that was presented to our office by CPD. The detectives reached out to our office on Friday and acknowledged at the outset that given the chaotic nature at the scene they were unable to determine how the events unfolded. We reviewed the evidence that was presented to us in consultation with the detectives and they agreed we were unable to approve charges based on the evidence presented. However, as always, as additional evidence is gathered we stand ready to bring charges when appropriate. Additionally, the facts the mayor presented today simply are not in line with what was presented to us by CPD, and not born out by the evidence we received. The staggering violence that is devastating our communities is horrific, however, we must still adhere to both our ethical and legal standards in evaluating charges. As a former prosecutor, she knows that."

Last week, Cook County prosecutors came under fire after making a similar argument after a teenager was stabbed to death during a fight in suburban Schaumburg. The family of the victim, 18-year-old Manuel Porties Jr., later told WGN that prosecutors specifically said they weren't charging the 17-year-old suspect with murder because the fatal fight amounted to mutual combat.

[High Plains Drifter 11050]

There are two things I know:

 

cops lie. county prosecutors lie. So who knows wtf is going on.

[Guest Lobo]

First of all, it's The City of Big Shoulders, not Broad.  

Secondly, back the Blue.  Without question.  If you don't, you're for crime.

[NeverMarryAStripper 21907]

Why does the article say the shootout was in Austin?  I’m confused, and maybe a little senile.

Edited October 8, 2021 by NeverMarryAStripper

[TwiceHorn 31495]

3 minutes ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

Why does the article say the shootout was in Austin?  I’m confused, and maybe a little senile.

A designated community (I think that's the right term) within the city of Chicago.

Edit:  Community areas.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_areas_in_Chicago

Edited October 8, 2021 by TwiceHorn

[WBT 20614]

So anytime the intended victim fights back, you can't charge anyone?  That doesn't seem right.

[Harrison Bergeron 1798]

4 hours ago, Lobo said:

First of all, it's The City of Big Shoulders, not Broad.  

Secondly, back the Blue.  Without question.  If you don't, you're for crime.

First of all, this is a thread about criminal prosecution not poetry.

Second of all, the poem is The City of The Big Shoulders.

Third of all, they're blek, who cares? Amiright?

[HornOnTheBayou 8931]

My thoughts as I began to read the OP:

A shooting in Chicago. Why does this deserve a new thread?
Oh wait, the shooting took place in Austin!
Nope, not the Austin I live in, Austin is a part of Chicago.
So, wait, why does this story deserve a thread in a board about Longhorn sports?

I guess, in summary, my response is:

[F250 28779]

Yeah, I was trying to figure out the Austin connection myself.

 

[Harrison Bergeron 1798]

30 minutes ago, HornOnTheBayou said:

My thoughts as I began to read the OP:

A shooting in Chicago. Why does this deserve a new thread?
Oh wait, the shooting took place in Austin!
Nope, not the Austin I live in, Austin is a part of Chicago.
So, wait, why does this story deserve a thread in a board about Longhorn sports?

I guess, in summary, my response is:

Wait - so we don't make huge fucking deals out of local issues? You mean if a E--list actor in Chicago stages a fake hate crime it doesn't get covered nationwide? Huh. You equating yourself with Al Bundy makes sense now.

[Genco 3041]

41 minutes ago, Harrison Bergeron said:

Wait - so we don't make huge fucking deals out of local issues? You mean if a E--list actor in Chicago stages a fake hate crime it doesn't get covered nationwide? Huh. You equating yourself with Al Bundy makes sense now.

[High Plains Drifter 11050]

 

Al Bundy memes always get pos emoticon of some sort

[Brothahorn 10087]

So anytime the intended victim fights back, you can't charge anyone?  That doesn't seem right.

It is in Mortal Kombat: Chicago.

[Capt. Squints 176]

On 10/7/2021 at 3:56 PM, Harrison Bergeron said:

I cannot imagine what could go wrong ... not to mention pretty racist ...

https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-shooting-violence-austin-police/11079879/

CHICAGO (WLS) -- There is an outcry from the mayor and some Chicago aldermen after men linked by police to a deadly gang shootout in Austin last week were released from custody. Prosecutors declined to charge each of them with a pair of felonies, including first-degree murder.

The mid-morning gunfight, which left one shooter dead and two of the suspects wounded, stemmed from an internal dispute between two gang factions, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

New video from city pod cameras shows what police say is two people pulling up and opening fire at an Austin home. They ducked for cover as the people inside fired back. One person was killed and two others were hurt in the shootout. Three people were arrested.

Police sought to charge all suspects with murder and aggravated battery. By Sunday morning, a Chicago police spokeswoman acknowledged the suspects had "been released without charges."

The Cook County state's attorney's office explained that prosecutors had "determined that the evidence was insufficient to meet our burden of proof to approve felony charges," a state's attorney's office spokeswoman said, adding that police officials agreed with the decision.

But a police report framed the state's attorney's office's decision to decline charges in a different light: "Mutual combatants was cited as the reason for the rejection." Mutual combat is a legal term used to define a fight or struggle that two parties willingly engage in.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot and some West Side aldermen called on Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx to reverse her decision on the case.

"If they do not feel like the criminal justice system is going to hold them accountable, we're going to see a level of brazenness that will send the city into chaos and we cannot let that happen," the mayor said Monday.

Foxx said there was not enough evidence to support felony charges, and police said the people arrested refused to tell them anything. But Lightfoot, herself a former prosecutor, believes there's evidence to make a case.

"I think that there's evidence there. We've got videotape, we have a marked squad of uniformed officers who were on the scene observing it," she said. "At a bare minimum, the individuals who initiated the firefight must be prosecuted."

"I think it goes beyond frustration, I'm furious about it," said 29th Ward Alderman Chris Taliaferro, who oversees the ward where the shooting took place.
The Cook County State's Attorney's Office released a statement in response to the mayor's calls, saying: 

"As a former federal prosecutor, the Mayor knows of the ethical obligation of the prosecutor to only bring forth charges where the facts, evidence, and law support it. She is also fully aware that as a prosecutor we are obligated not to try cases in the media. It is unclear why she has chosen to make such statements, especially absent the full information that was presented to our office by CPD. The detectives reached out to our office on Friday and acknowledged at the outset that given the chaotic nature at the scene they were unable to determine how the events unfolded. We reviewed the evidence that was presented to us in consultation with the detectives and they agreed we were unable to approve charges based on the evidence presented. However, as always, as additional evidence is gathered we stand ready to bring charges when appropriate. Additionally, the facts the mayor presented today simply are not in line with what was presented to us by CPD, and not born out by the evidence we received. The staggering violence that is devastating our communities is horrific, however, we must still adhere to both our ethical and legal standards in evaluating charges. As a former prosecutor, she knows that."

Last week, Cook County prosecutors came under fire after making a similar argument after a teenager was stabbed to death during a fight in suburban Schaumburg. The family of the victim, 18-year-old Manuel Porties Jr., later told WGN that prosecutors specifically said they weren't charging the 17-year-old suspect with murder because the fatal fight amounted to mutual combat.

Where do you see the racism in this article? I see two embattled, black, female, elected officials blaming one another for the fucked up crime situation in Chicago. Point out your mysterious racism claim please.

[SuperSport 1333]

[Brisketexan 105154]

The Spam Museum is located in Austin, Minnesota.

[futureman 22485]

On 10/9/2021 at 11:41 AM, Capt. Squints said:

Where do you see the racism in this article? I see two embattled, black, female, elected officials blaming one another for the fucked up crime situation in Chicago. Point out your mysterious racism claim please.

black-on-black crime isn’t worth worrying about. 

[ChickenSandwich 9843]

[Wally Fairway 5559]

On 10/7/2021 at 9:14 PM, TwiceHorn said:

A designated community (I think that's the right term) within the city of Chicago.

Edit:  Community areas.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_areas_in_Chicago

yup - ban the OP, delete the thread.
that way we can address important issues like football fuckery, Fitlump, climate change

[Hermanator 7107]

Seems like the Chicago area PDs and DAs have sent the message it's cool to kill each other just stay the fuck away from the white people. Especially the white people with money. 

It's crazy there. Hanging out downtown and Northside and you feel like everything is calm and normal. Go south to see a Bulls or White Sox game and you walk into a John Singleton movie. 

[Hermanator 7107]

Also, I'm guessing Illinois doesn't have the private for-profit prison system Texas does. Around here ain't no one wasting an opportunity to lock up a non white and get that sweet prison money kickback. 

[ChickenSandwich 9843]

34 minutes ago, Hermanator said:

Also, I'm guessing Illinois doesn't have the private for-profit prison system Texas does. Around here ain't no one wasting an opportunity to lock up a non white and get that sweet prison money kickback. 

So fair trade for a pile of bodies?

Edited October 11, 2021 by ChickenSandwich