Gibbons at a press conference announcing details of the Randy Gori murder case
EDWARDSVILLE – Former Madison County state’s attorney Tom Gibbons formed a regional police squad to investigate Republicans about a rumor, according to public record of the investigation.
No evidence for the rumor ever turned up.
The team searched for political activity inside the courthouse and found it only on the Democratic side of the fence.
Top Democrats wound up explaining why party messages showed up in their computer mailboxes.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, who replaced Gibbons as prosecutor by court order, brought no charges against any Republicans.
BLUEROOMSTREAM.COM
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton testifies before a joint legislative committee hearing in Chicago, arguing that thousands of Illinoisans are held behind bars simply because they cannot afford their bail.
Editor’s note: This story was originally published by the Belleville News-Democrat, a news partner of St. Louis Public Radio.
The criminal justice reform bill signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker Monday is groundbreaking in its scope. It ends cash bail, expands detainee rights and requires body cameras on all police officers.
But the governor’s signature is also just the beginning of a transition that will take years, and there’s no guarantee that all of the changes promised in the massive bill will become reality as they were written.
Haine
Before Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the controversial criminal justice bill into law, Madison County board members passed a resolution urging him not to.
House Bill 3653 was signed into law on Feb. 22.
Pritzker called the bill a “substantial step toward dismantling systemic racism by bringing us closer to true safety, true fairness and true justice.”
However, Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine argued that the bill makes Illinois streets less safe and proposed a resolution to the Madison County Government Relations Committee. The resolution was approved and presented to the full board at the Madison County Board meeting on Feb. 17.
WBGZ Radio 2/23/2021 |
By Doug Jenkins - WBGZ Radio
The criminal justice bill the Illinois House of Representatives passed a in the final hours of the last General Assembly has been signed into law. Governor JB Pritzker did so at a midday ceremony on Monday. Some in law enforcement say this will transform policing practices in the state.
Madison County Sheriff John Lakin tells The Big Z this has the potential to decimate the pool of people wanting to go into or stay in police work in the state.
Click here for Lakin s comments
In addition to the changes to how policing is done, Lakin says there are a number of unfunded mandates in this legislation that could severely burden departments. House Bill 3653 passed by a 60 to 50 vote in the closing hours of the lame duck session of the Illinois General Assembly in January.
Fire leads to double homicide investigation
The Telegraph
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Godfrey firefighters stand and stare through a broken out window into a house Monday morning in the 2300 block of Wedgewood Avenue after extinguishing a fire at that brick home. Firefighters were watching as Illinois State Police Crime Scene investigators and others processed the scene inside where two people were found dead. Show MoreShow Less
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A firefighter washes off equipment used Monday morning to fight a fire at a home in the 2300 block of Wedgewood Avenue in Godfrey. Godfrey firefighters called for assistance from Alton and East Alton at the scene. Show MoreShow Less