How's That Bail Reform Working Out?

The people in charge of the Criminal Justice System in Chicago and Cook County, Illinois, still maintain that their bail reforms haven't caused any problems, or that they have seen no bad situations. They even passed a law in the State of Illinois to impose their progressive views on all jurisdictions. The actual situation is a bit more complicated. (This list of crimes is just from the weekend, basically.)

CWB Chicago is keeping track of the really bad results, which are murder, attempted murder and just shooting someone (assault with a deadly weapon?) while on bail for a felony. #41: Felon engaged in ‘gunfight at the OK Corral’ while on electronic monitoring, officials say

A convicted felon engaged in “a gunfight at the OK Corral” on a bustling Chicago street while he was on electronic monitoring for a felony case, authorities said Wednesday.

Kevin Cousins, 21, is the 41st person accused of killing or shooting—or attempting to kill or shoot—someone in Chicago while awaiting trial for a felony this year. The alleged crimes involved at least 78 victims, 18 of whom died.

The judge in that case called it essentially the OK Corral. You should click thru for the details.

That isn't the only example. #42: Man nearly killed beloved chef during a violent carjacking and robbery in Chinatown—while on felony bail, prosecutors say

The man who brutally beat and carjacked beloved chef Jin Lew in Chinatown this spring, leaving the 61-year-old with injuries so severe that he will need 24-hour care for the rest of his life, was on bail for a pending stolen motor vehicle case at the time of the attack, prosecutors said Saturday.

Less serious crimes are reported on, but not tracked to that detail. That would be a Herculean task in Chicago.

• Man is caught driving a stolen car while on bail for a gun case, a robbery case, and another stolen auto case, prosecutors say

  Prosecutors say a man who is on bail for robbery, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possessing a stolen motor vehicle was caught driving another stolen car this week in Chicago.

• 3-time convicted burglar, on bail for 2 burglaries, burglarized 3 more Lakeview homes this week, prosecutors say

  A three-time convicted burglars on bail for two burglary cases, burglarized three more Lakeview homes on Wednesday evening, prosecutors say. Chicago police allegedly found property belonging to all of the latest victims in his backpack.

• Man with two pending robbery cases is charged with mugging teenager on the Red Line

  Prosecutors say a man with an extensive juvenile record, including two pending robbery cases, robbed a 15-year-old who was riding home from school on the Red Line earlier this month.

For more info on the man nearly killed in the Chinatown carjacking see the following from the Chicago Journal: 18-year-old charged in the brutal beating of Chef in Chinatown. Be aware that the photo of victim is fairly disturbing.

Prosecutors told the court Saturday that Patterson, currently a high school student, was on bond for possessing a stolen vehicle at the time of this incident. He and his co-offenders allegedly pulled Mr. Lew from his vehicle and beat him with their hands and feet.

CWB Chicago and Chicago Journal are the two media outlets in Chicago doing real journalism on crime, and the policies of City Hall, and the State's Attorney's office. Every other "news organization" is afraid to piss off the powers-that-be. If you can help CWB Chicago or Chicago Journal out with a subscription or even a few bucks, please do so. (I have no connection to either of these organizations, except that I love their news coverage.)