Page 8 - APRIL 2019 FOP MAGAZINE

First Vice President’s Report
‘Crook’ County State’s Attorney
Kim Foxx needs to resign as Cook County State’s Attorney. A federal investigation is now needed in the Jussie Smollett case. Any person with half a brain could have figured out that this case was total bull in just five minutes.
On April 1, a protest rally was held at Foxx’s of- fice at 69 W. Washington Blvd. Among the attend- ees were the parents of Tito “Mannie” Rodriguez. In 2014, Mannie was killed while driving his mo-
torcycle on the Dan Ryan Expressway on his way to work in the 6th District. For four years, this family endured court date after court date while the offender sat across from them. In October 2018, the state’s attorney’s office notified the Rodri- guez family that the offender in the case was offered a plea deal — without their knowledge or consent.
The Smollett case brings to light what’s wrong with the judicial system, especially in Cook County. Judge Hooks al- lowed the murderer of two police officers to be released on an I-Bond. Murder two police officers and get released on a recognizance bond.
How many different cases have there been where vicious
criminals were arrested and subsequently allowed back into society, only to commit more heinous crimes?
In many of these trials, there appears to be a general fear among the judges that they will not be reelected to the bench because of the special interest groups that regularly attend. The Chicago Tribune Editorial Board wrote an article in Octo- ber 2018 calling for the firing of three judges. In order to fire a judge, it takes a 60 percent vote against them. One judge who I know, and in whose courtroom I have sat, was criticized for being “insensitive” to criminal defendants and issued “very harsh sentences” compared to other judges. Another judge was “ousted” because of his role as a prosecutor in two wrong- ful convictions.
One of my biggest fears as a police officer was that the star pinned to my chest would mean absolutely nothing. Unfortu- nately, in recent years, that has become a reality. Thanks to the recent ruling in the Smollett court case, the spotlight is now on Chicago.
Kim Foxx has proven time after time that she is incapable of being a state’s attorney. Kim, it’s time to step down!
PAT MURRAY
8 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ APRIL 2019