![Illinois House passes bipartisan ban on deceptive interrogation of minors Illinois House passes bipartisan ban on deceptive interrogation of minors](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/img-SLAUGHTER-05291-wsZ1oZ-1024x601.jpeg)
Illinois House passes bipartisan ban on deceptive interrogation of minors
By RAYMON TRONCOSO
Capitol News Illinois
rtroncoso@capitolnewsillinois.com
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House unanimously passed a bipartisan juvenile justice reform Saturday that outlaws the use of deceptive interrogation techniques on minors.
The measure, contained in amendments to Senate Bill 2122, makes confessions by minors in custody inadmissible if they were obtained by “a law enforcement officer or juvenile officer (that) knowingly engages in deception.”
The bill was introduced in the House by Chicago Democratic Rep. Justin Slaughter and was also sponsored by two Republican former prosecutors, Minority Leader Jim Durkin, of Western Springs, and Rep. Patrick Windhorst, of Metropolis.
“There have been a hundred wrongful convictions in Illinois predicated on false confessions, minors make up 31 of these cases. Research, experience and common sense tell us that minors are between two and three times more likely to falsely confess the crimes they didn’t commit,” Slaughter said.
Durkin praised Slaughter for negotiating with Republicans and law enforcement and securing the support of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the Illinois State’s Attorneys Association.
“Coercion has no place within our criminal justice system, particularly with juvenile defendants,” Durkin said while urging support for the legislation.
Durkin said he was initially skeptical of the legislation but was moved toward supporting it after speaking to legal experts from the Innocence Project. According to Durkin, what finally put him over the edge to sponsor the bill was learning about the case of Brendan Dassey while watching the Netflix series “Making a Murderer.”
“It was very clear to me that there was coercion and deception that was levied upon a 16-year-old Brendan Dassey,” Durkin said. “It became also very clear to me that this 16-year-old did not have the mental capacity to understand his Miranda rights, nor the capacity to waive these rights.”
Slaughter pointed to the case of Terrill Swift, one of the Englewood Four, who was released in 2012 after serving 15 years in prison after it was determined his confession as a 17-year-old minor was coerced by Chicago police officers.
That confession had led to his conviction despite no evidence tying him to the crime committed, and the city paid Swift nearly $7 million in a settlement following his release.
“There are two other critical issues that we’re addressing with this bill,” Slaughter said. “First of all fiscal responsibility – the Englewood Four case cost our state taxpayers over $30 million. This is one case, the civil settlements are costing our state millions and millions of dollars and also on top of that, taxpayers are paying unnecessary costs for incarcerating individuals that are innocent.
“Secondly, I really wanted to touch on public safety and when we talk about criminal justice reform, sometimes this does get lost. When we incarcerate the wrong individual, the actual offender is still out in the community.”
The measure passed the House in a 114-0 vote. While SB 2122 also passed the Senate last month, a new amendment in the version the House approved Saturday requires it be sent back to the Senate for another vote.
The House also passed a sentencing reform bill Saturday along partisan lines. Senate Bill 2129 allows the State’s Attorney of a county where a defendant was sentenced to file a motion to resentence that individual if their original sentence “no longer advances the interests of justice.”
The new sentence cannot be greater than the one originally handed down by the court and is meant as a rehabilitative measure.
The reform is meant as a way to address historically punitive sentences against crimes and circumstances that may be considered for more lenient punishment today with advances in understanding around socioeconomic contributors to violence and crime.
It passed the House in a partisan 61-48 vote and now will head to Gov. JB Pritzker for his signature after passing the Senate last month in a partisan 31-17 vote.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Local News
![reporter 6-18-24 HH spiderman Ribhi “Spiderman” Gaber wishes everyone at Glen Oak School a great summer. (Photos by Nuha Abdessalam)](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/reporter-6-18-24-HH-spiderman-1024x768.jpg)
Young Spiderman fan wishes students a great summer
Spread the loveBy Nuha Abdessalam Spiderman-kid bids farewell and wishes a beautiful summer break to students of Glen Oak Elementary in Hickory Hills. Since the summer of 2023, when he discovered the movie “Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse,” a story about multiple Spidermen from different dimensions, 6-year-old Ribhi Gaber has been more than just a fan…
![reporter worth welcome sign reporter worth welcome sign](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/reporter-worth-welcome-sign.jpg)
Worth finalizes rules for open burning in village
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle After several discussions over the past month, the Village of Worth has new guidelines for open burning by businesses and in residential areas. Mayor Mary Werner mentioned during the Worth Village Board meeting Tuesday night that a discrepancy in an ordinance regarding open burning had a 10 p.m. deadline. However,…
![2 Residents were invited out to join Orland Township Supervisor Paul O'Grady for an event called, Minds Matter 2024, on May 16 at Orland Township, 14807 S. Ravinia Avenue in Orland Park. (Supplied photos)](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2-1024x768.jpeg)
Orland Township event focuses on mental health
Spread the loveBy Kelly White Orland Township is taking the time to focus on mental health. Residents were invited out to join Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady for an event called, Minds Matter 2024, on May 16 at Orland Township, located at 14807 S. Ravinia Avenue in Orland Park. “This was an excellent opportunity to…
![bridgeview police logo bridgeview police logo](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/bridgeview-police-logo.png)
Bridgeview shooting not related to Summer Smash
Spread the loveBy Bob Bong Bridgeview Police Chief Ricardo Mancha on Monday wanted to emphasize that a shooting in the village Saturday night had nothing to do with the Summer Smash music festival that took place over the weekend at SeatGeek Stadium. “It was an isolated incident,” he said. “Completely unrelated to the Summer Smash…
![lyons township logo lyons township logo](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/lyons-township-logo.png)
Summer jobs available for youths through Lyons Township
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch The summer jobs program offered each year by the Township of Lyons is up and running. The program for high school and college students “is designed to give young individuals an opportunity for summer employment,” Trustee Donna McDonald said at the township board’s June 11 meeting. The jobs program started…
![summit police logo summit police logo](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/summit-police-logo-1024x986.jpg)
Pair busted for Summit phone store robberies
Spread the loveBy Bob Bong Two Chicago men have been charged with robbing two phone stores in Summit earlier this year. Jacari Franklin and Austin White are charged with robbing the T-Mobile store at 5640 S. Harlem Ave. on March 28 and the AT&T store at Archer and Harlem avenues on April 18, police said.…
![dvn 6-17-24 lyons car show3 2024 Bruce Quintos (right) visits with Lyons Village Trustee Dan Hilker in front of Quintos’ 1957 Chevy Bel Air that he lovingly restored. (Photos by Steve Metsch)](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/dvn-6-17-24-lyons-car-show3-2024-1024x707.jpg)
Car enthusiasts crowd annual Father’s Day show in Lyons.
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch Held under sunny and warm skies Sunday, the annual Father’s Day Car Show in Lyons was deemed a smashing success by participants and visitors. Not only were car lovers able to admire the four-wheeled beauties, some owners spent quality time with Dad or a spouse. Don Raschka, 80, of Central…
![PeggyZabicki Peggy Zabicki](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/PeggyZabicki-1024x768.jpg)
May this summer be a good season
Spread the love. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . “Summer was our best season. It was sleeping on the screened porch on cots, or trying to sleep in the treehouse, summer was everything good to eat. It was a thousand colors in a parched landscape.”…
Neighbors
![CRRNH_QuinnShiftingSandsStory_113022 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/CRRNH_QuinnShiftingSandsStory_113022.png)
Fight to save ShotSpotter is still alive
Spread the love. By Tim Hadac Editor Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound (708)-496-0265 . As you have read several times in the Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound, the people of Clearing and Garfield Ridge are clear in their support of keeping ShotSpotter technology deployed in Chicago, to help police fight crime. So I won’t go over old…
![GSWNH_ColdPlanerSpitsAsphalt_052424 GSWNH_ColdPlanerSpitsAsphalt_052424](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GSWNH_ColdPlanerSpitsAsphalt_052424-1024x680.png)
63rd Street getting a facelift
Spread the love. Quinn hails federally funded resurfacing project . By Tim Hadac The old joke about there being not four seasons, but just two in Chicago each year—winter and construction—was apparent late last week as heavy equipment arrived in Clearing. As 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn and other city officials gathered for an outdoor…
![CRRNH_SilvanaTabaresOfficial_081121 23rd Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/CRRNH_SilvanaTabaresOfficial_081121-1024x1024.jpg)
Tabares blasts Foxx over ‘no seizure’ idea
Spread the love. Brands State’s Attorney as ‘pro-criminal’ . By Tim Hadac Twenty-third Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares this week blasted outgoing Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx over a possible change in how crimes are—or are not–prosecuted.Foxx recently said she is considering a plan to decline to prosecute weapons and drug crimes detected by routine…
![GSWNH_OLSPrincipal_052424 GSWNH_OLSPrincipal_052424](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GSWNH_OLSPrincipal_052424-1024x683.jpeg)
School can get messy
Spread the love Second grader Weronika Kozielec squirts ketchup on the head of Our Lady of the Snows School Principal Christina Avis at a recent gathering in the parking lot of the school, 4810 S. Leamington. But the condiment was not all that was dumped on the principal. Students, faculty and staff laughed and cheered…
![PeggyZabicki Peggy Zabicki](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/PeggyZabicki-1024x768.jpg)
Brother, what a day today is
Spread the love. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . May 24 is National Brothers Day. The word “brother” comes from the Latin root for “frater” and the Proto-Germanic word “brothar” which itself comes from the Proto-Indo-European root “bhrater.” I’m sure everyone already knows that, but…
![MaryStanek Mary Stanek](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MaryStanek-768x1024.jpg)
May your Memorial Day be meaningful
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . I hope we all will have a meaningful Memorial Day. Let us remember that this day is set to honor military personnel who died in service of their country. Memorial Day also marks…
![volleyball volleyball](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/GettyImages-171252499-1024x681.jpg)
Boys Volleyball | Sandburg seeks 26th regional title
Spread the loveBy Randy Whalen Correspondent Coming off the worst season in program history in 2023, Sandburg was not going to settle for anything less than better results this year. Past the midway point of this season, however, the Eagles had a record of 11-8. But they closed the regular season strong, winning 11 of…
![Reavis Baseball Celebrate Reavis players celebrate after the Rams clinched the South Suburban Red title with a 3-0 win over Oak Lawn. Photo by Xavier Sanchez](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Reavis-Baseball-Celebrate-scaled-e1716250166808-1024x706.jpg)
Baseball | Red-hot Reavis looks to make noise in postseason
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Reavis is determined to send their head coach Don Erickson into retirement on a high note and will head into the postseason red hot and as South Suburban Red champions. The Rams defeated Oak Lawn 3-0 for the second straight day on May 15 to clinch the conference title.…
![College Notebook_Sebastian Castro Richards alum Sebastian Castro is ranked by NFL Draft Live among the top 10 college cornerbacks heading into the 2024 NCAA football season. Photo courtesy of University of Iowa Athletics](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/College-Notebook_Sebastian-Castro-1024x683.webp)
Sports Bits | Rice boats at Carlyle Lake, Hawkeye DB and Do It Stevie’s Way
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Noteworthy sports briefs from May 12-19 • Brother Rice’s No. 1 boat of Joe Hall and Joe Judeh took 31st in the state bass fishing tournament, which wrapped up on May 18 at Carlyle Lake. The Crusaders had a two-day haul of 7 pounds, 12 ounces. The Crusaders’ No.…