The offer from the State’s Attorney’s office clearly shows that prosecutors never believed they could convince a judge or jury that our client, Keshia Golden, was guilty of first-degree murder.
It is a disgrace that it took almost four years for the prosecution to admit this. Continuing to prosecute Keshia for first-degree murder has caused her and her family unbelievable stress as she was threatened with decades in prison.
Office Statements
Federal agents were reportedly spotted at multiple Cook County courthouses in a move community activists are calling a “significant ramp up” of immigration enforcement in and around Chicago. ICE continues to conduct operations that violate due process, and by operating at courthouses in Cook County they are acting in violation of state law.
The Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender's Office, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Illinois Senator Graciela Guzmán, The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence, and other partners held a press conference to condemn the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents violating state law and arresting individuals at a courthouse in Chicago. Various news agencies and outlets covered the Press Conference.
The MacArthur Justice Center and Legal Action Chicago sought leave to file an amicus brief on behalf of fifteen advocacy, social services, and direct legal services groups, including the Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender in support of the Court Access, Safety, and Participation Act (CASPA), an Illinois law being challenged in federal court by the Trump Administration in the case USA v. Illinois.
Letter to the Chicago City Council to urge them to reject the proposed ordinance amending Chapter 8-16 of the Chicago Municipal Code relating to juvenile conduct and parental responsibility. While the ordinance has been framed as a public safety measure, its penalty scheme is a disproportionate approach to problematic youth behavior that increases the City’s litigation risk.
The Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender has opposed the State’s Attorney’s felony bypass policy since its inception, and we oppose any expansion.
The Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender and 13 criminal and civil legal aid and social services organizations, including nine specializing in serving survivors of domestic and sexual violence, formally petitioned the court today.
The Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender congratulates Judge Charles Beach II on his election as the new Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County.
This week, the number of people in Cook County Jail exceeded 6,000 for the first time in more than three years. The Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender is deeply concerned about the recent rise in pretrial jailing—incarceration before any decision on guilt or innocence has been made by a judge or jury.
The Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender urges the Chicago City Council to reject the proposed “snap” curfew ordinance. This proposal is a throwback to past failures, allowing law enforcement to issue curfews on brief notice, with little or no opportunity for young people and their caregivers to respond appropriately.