Hope you had a good weekend, Chicago. Today, a City Council committee will vote on millions in police misconduct and wrongful conviction settlements. Plus, the latest on the medical marijuana qualification list.
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(Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)
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City lawyers had a busy week, recommending that Chicago taxpayers pay tens of millions in settlement money for a litany of cases involving police misconduct, wrongful convictions and more. For most of these cases, the Chicago City Council’s Finance Committee on Monday is set to consider the proposed settlements and a final vote of the City Council could come on Wednesday. WTTW News reporter Heather Cherone rounded up each case:
$17.5M to a man who spent more than 21 years in prison after being framed by a disgraced ex-detective
Thomas Sierra was convicted after being investigated by Reynaldo Guevara, a former Chicago police detective accused of routinely framing suspects. Sierra left prison in 2017, was exonerated in 2018 and received a certificate of innocence in 2022. Sierra and 44 other Chicagoans who were convicted based on evidence gathered by Guevara have been exonerated by Illinois judges. Guevara has never faced discipline.
$7.5M settling 1st federal lawsuit claiming convicted police Sgt. Ronald Watts framed CHA residents
Convicted in 2006, Ben Baker spent 10 years in prison before he was released in 2016, three years after Watts was convicted of taking bribes. A judge granted Baker a certificate of innocence a month after he was released.
$4.5M to the family of a woman killed by a driver being chased by police
Lakisel Thomas, 43, died in February 2021 after being struck by an SUV fleeing from Chicago police in the 7400 block of South Racine Avenue. Thomas was walking to pick up lunch for her son, while on the phone with her daughter. Isaac Wade, 20, the driver of the SUV, was charged with reckless homicide in connection with Thomas’ death.
$8.75M settlement to a man who spent nearly 25 years in prison for wrongful murder conviction
Mark Maxson was convicted of the 1992 murder and rape of 6-year-old Lindsey Murdock, who was killed in a West Roseland garage, after Maxson confessed to detectives trained by Jon Burge. No physical evidence tied Maxson to the crime. Detectives trained by Burge have faced dozens of lawsuits and complaints alleging they physically abused those they suspected of committing crimes to coerce confessions.
These settlements are in addition to the previously reported $87,500 to settle the lawsuit claiming Ald. Jim Gardiner violated the First Amendment by blocking critics from official Facebook page and $75,000 to the family of a woman who died from a drug overdose in a cop’s RV. Those two settlements do not require City Council approval.
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(Credit: Elsa Olofsson / Pixabay)
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For the first time since 2019, Illinois has added new conditions to the list that qualifies patients to legally use marijuana as medicine, and therefore buy it at a considerably lower tax rate. The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Thursday that patients diagnosed with endometriosis, ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids and female orgasmic disorder can now register under the state’s compassionate use of medical cannabis program — bringing the total number of qualifying conditions to 56.
Other recognized conditions include autism, cancer, chronic pain, HIV/AIDS, irritable bowel syndrome, migraines and osteoarthritis, post-traumatic stress disorder and terminal illness. State law allows Illinois residents to petition the Medical Cannabis Advisory Board each January to consider expanding the list of qualifying conditions.
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The Chicago cast of “Shucked.” (Photos by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)
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The first national tour of the new musical “Shucked” just arrived in Chicago for a two-week run. Billing itself as a farm-to-fable tale, “Shucked” reminds audiences that it’s okay to have a great time at the theater. This joyful musical comedy premiered on Broadway in 2023 and received nine Tony nominations. It has hilarious and surprisingly heartfelt songs to go along with the bushels of cornball humor. The book its based on is by the Tony Award winner Robert Horn (“Tootsie”), and he clearly had fun upping the quotient of jokes and puns about the splendor of corn. By one cast member’s count, there are 181 laughs in the show. Music and lyrics come from the
Nashville songwriting team of Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, and the songs conjure ‘70s country-rock and big ballads. Now playing at the CIBC Theater until 1/19. Tickets can be found here.
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Back in the Day: January 13, 1985 - Trib Columnist Accidentally Starts Fudge Soda Diet Craze
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Bob Greene was a columnist for the Chicago Tribune whose folksy writing was syndicated to 200 newspapers nationwide. When the 1985 new year rolled around, his readers were focused on resolutions, diet tips and wellness ideas. So, on this day 40 years ago, he decided to publish what helped him lose 22 pounds: Canfield's Diet Chocolate Fudge Soda. At only two calories per 12oz-can, Greene wrote effusively of the fizzy, no-sugar beverage. "To say it tastes like chocolate is to insult it," he wrote. "Let me
put it this way: Taking a sip of the stuff is like biting into a hot fudge sundae." After the piece ran, readers flocked to the stores and in 90 days purchased more than 25 million cans of the stuff (the year prior the company sold 1 million total). When customers and Greene couldn't find the sodas stocked at stores, Canfield received as many as 500 phone calls a day from supermarket chains and consumers. While the Elgin-based soda company was sold to Keurig-Dr. Pepper and closed its Illinois plant, you can still find Canfield's Diet Chocolate Fudge Soda at some stores today.
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What was your most memorable snow experience in Chicago? Tell us when, where you were and what
happened.
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Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published.
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Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates on the union's contract negotiations.
Prosecutors cross examine Michael Madigan in the former House speaker's landmark corruption case. We have the latest.
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Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry
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