Illinois Supreme Court rules SAFE-T Act does not violate state constitution
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Illinois Supreme Court rules SAFE-T Act does not violate state constitution

Illinois is set to become the first state in the nation to eliminate cash bail after the state Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a landmark criminal justice reform law did not violate the state’s constitution. The high court said the law should now go into effect in September.

High court upholds cash-free bail in Illinois, takes effect in September
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High court upholds cash-free bail in Illinois, takes effect in September

Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis delivered the court’s opinion, approved 5-2, saying that the constitution “does not mandate that monetary bail is the only means to ensure criminal defendants appear for trials or the only means to protect the public.”

A “Pattern of Problematic Conduct”: Urbana Officer Tests Police Accountability

A “Pattern of Problematic Conduct”: Urbana Officer Tests Police Accountability

This story is part of a partnership focusing on police misconduct in Champaign County between the Champaign-Urbana Civic Police Data Project of the Invisible Institute, a Chicago-based nonprofit public accountability journalism organization, and Illinois Newsroom, which provides news about Illinois & in-depth reporting on Agriculture, Education, the Environment, Health, and Politics, powered by Illinois Public…

Women pushed into ravine at German castle were recent University of Illinois graduates

Women pushed into ravine at German castle were recent University of Illinois graduates

The Rev. Mark Zhang of Living Water Evangelical Church in Naperville, Illinois, said Tuesday that Eva Liu’s parents confirmed to him that she was killed after a Michigan man attacked her and Kelsey Chang while they were hiking near Neuschwanstein castle June 14.

After violence at a pop-up party on Sunday left 9 injured, Champaign considers how to prevent future violence
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After violence at a pop-up party on Sunday left 9 injured, Champaign considers how to prevent future violence

CHAMPAIGN — Neighbors and social workers gathered at the Douglass Annex Thursday to discuss violence at parties that pop up after bars close. Some wanted curfews and security cameras. Middle school teacher Rhonda Harris suggested the city host its own safe version with police and chaperones. “We can have a controlled area, like a parking…

Recent shootings in the C-U area are a prime topic at a Community Coalition meeting.
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Recent shootings in the C-U area are a prime topic at a Community Coalition meeting.

Meetings of the Champaign Community Coalition include regular reports from local police departments. And at Wednesday’s meeting, those reports were dominated by reports of shootings. “I think it’s fair to say that it’s been a sad and busy couple of weeks, leading up to today,” said Champaign County Sheriff Dustin Heuerman, addressing the gathering local…

Urbana City Council appoints new ‘progressive’ police chief
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Urbana City Council appoints new ‘progressive’ police chief

URBANA – More than a year since the retirement of Urbana’s police chief, the City Council unanimously appointed the only finalist, Larry Boone, as the new chief. The appointment came after months of various interviews and community meetings and the recommendation of Mayor Diane Wolfe Marlin.  Marlin said the city conducted online and paper surveys…

Donald Trump says he’s been indicted on charges of mishandling classified documents
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Donald Trump says he’s been indicted on charges of mishandling classified documents

Former President Donald Trump says he’s been indicted on charges of mishandling classified documents at his Florida estate, igniting a federal prosecution that is arguably the most perilous of multiple legal threats against the former president as he seeks to reclaim the White House.