Press Releases

"I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family and community of George Floyd. It is my sincerest hope that those responsible for this horrific murder are held accountable. I am also disgusted by our president’s hateful and racist rhetoric in the wake of the uprisings in Minneapolis. At a time when we are once again reckoning with the toxic poison of racism, we must reject those who delight in dividing us and instead come together to forge a better future. As President Obama said earlier today, while we all want our world to go back to 'normal' amidst this global pandemic, we have to...
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Today, the Cook County State’s Attorney Office (CCSAO) announced that in partnership with Lyft, it will provide access to transportation for survivors of domestic violence in Cook County. The partnership is part of LyftUp, Lyft’s comprehensive effort to expand transportation access to those who need it most. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, Lyft has activated more than 500 LyftUp partners – including public health entities, local governments, nonprofits and community organizations – to provide free rides and free delivery of essential goods for vulnerable communities and critical workers....
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List of Community Resources Available During COVID-19 Pandemic in English and Spanish  State's Attorney's Office Court Contact Information *Update on Court Operations - 5/27/20 On Thursday, Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans will enter an order that essentially extends his current order to July 6 or until further order of court, meaning the date could be earlier than July 6. On June 1, emergency matters will continue to be heard in civil and criminal cases. Since the modified court operations began on March 17, judges have heard more than 111,000 criminal matters either in person or via...
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Today, Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx urged adults to securely store any firearms in order to keep guns out of the hands of children and teens and prevent unintentional shootings and gun suicides. While responsible gun owners must always store their guns locked, unloaded, and separately from ammunition, it is even more important right now with families sheltering at home. “Ensuring public safety includes protecting people within the walls of their own home,” said Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. “Kids are curious and often know where guns are stored. It is the critical...
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Today, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO) announced its first confirmed case of an employee who tested positive for COVID-19. The employee works at the Cook County Domestic Violence Court Building located at 555 W. Harrison Street in Chicago and last reported for work on March 24, 2020. Due to privacy law, no additional information about the individual can be released.   The CCSAO is directly contacting anyone known to have had contact with the employee in the last two weeks.   Unrelated to this employee and in addition to routine cleaning and disinfection, a deep cleaning took...
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Following a hearing before Cook County Judge Leroy K. Martin earlier today, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx released the following statement regarding the urgent situation at the Cook County Jail and emergency bail hearings to expedite release of detainees during the COVID-19 pandemic.   “In the interest of both public health and safety during the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO) has been working around the clock with the Cook County Sheriff and Public Defender to ensure any individuals who are not a threat to public safety are...
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Amidst the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx today announced that the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO) will not prosecute cases of non-violent, low-level narcotics offenses at this time and will continue to review and prioritize other charges on a case-by-case basis to make appropriate determinations in light of the public health crisis and reduced court operations and staffing. The CCSAO’s exercise of prosecutorial discretion is aimed at protecting the health and safety of police officers, first responders, medical professionals, and jail staff and...
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Data show domestic violence increases during times of financial stress and hardship, and the uncertainty of COVID-19 and people confined to unsafe environments may contribute to a higher likelihood of abuse. In light of these data points and other factors, Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx and the City of Chicago are reminding people that even during reduced court operations, emergency domestic violence and child endangerment proceedings will continue.  While non-essential criminal court, juvenile court, and child protection proceedings are suspended for 30 days, bond, preliminary,...
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Following a guilty verdict of first-degree murder in the case of Chicago Police Commander Paul Bauer, Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx released this statement:  “We welcome today’s guilty verdict and the justice it brings to the family of Commander Paul Bauer, the Chicago Police Department, and the citizens of Chicago. This senseless murder ended the life of an honorable man and highly regarded public servant. Commander Bauer’s dedication to serving and protecting the community was evident on February 13, 2018, as he performed his final duties as a Chicago Police Officer. This...
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“It is with great sadness that I join others to mourn the loss of a giant, Justice Charles Freeman. When I was elected to serve as State’s Attorney, Justice Freeman called to offer congratulations and some perspective. He graciously reminded me of the importance of being a ‘first,’ and to never forget the responsibility to clear a path for those who come next. I will always remember his words, his integrity, and his many contributions to our justice system and history. May Justice Freeman rest in power and the trail he blazed endure for generations.”
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Following oral arguments in Cook County v. Wolf where the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office argued the merits of the injunction to block the Trump Administration’s discriminatory public charge rule, State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx released the following statement:   “When the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office filed suit to block the public charge rule, we knew it would be an uphill battle.  The Trump Administration continues to bypass ordinary legal processes and take extraordinary steps to block people from accessing public benefits like food, housing, and health care.   “The Cook...
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Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx announced today that the office moved to vacate the wrongful convictions for an additional 12 individuals as part of the office’s ongoing review of the misconduct of corrupt former Chicago Police Sergeant Ronald Watts. Since SA Foxx took office in December 2016, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO) has moved to vacate a total of 94 cases involving former Sergeant Watts.   The CCSAO’s Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU), tasked with investigating and addressing claims of wrongful convictions, is reviewing these cases after a pattern of misconduct...
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  “We are pleased with today’s ruling, as the deliberate actions of Officer Houser demanded justice and accountability. While this incident occurred within weeks of this administration taking office, after a careful review, we took swift action to ensure that the appropriate charges were filed for this crime. “The circumstances of this case were unique, but the way we handled it was not. As always, we relied upon the facts, the evidence, and the law and hope that this resolution brings some measure of comfort to the victim’s family and helps restore integrity to our criminal justice system.”
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