Cook County Public Defenders Blog

Brothers and Sisters, do you know a hard working law student who would be interested in winning a $2000 scholarship?  If you do, please direct them to our website and the Scholarship tab on the left hand side.  There, they can find information about the scholarship available to law students who clerk in our office.  The application is online and can be sent via email.   The deadline for the summer scholarship is April 1, 2008.

And don’t forget to mark 9/3/08 in your calenders for the next fundraiser for the scholarship - a Cubs night game with special pre-party!

The Jack Carey Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce the next fundraiser.  Cubs v. Houston, September 3, 2008, Wrigley Field.  More information on tickets and exclusive pre-game festivities when they become available.  Mark your calenders!

As a reminder, it is reversible error in a DNA case for the judge to permit the prosecution, over the objection of the defense, to introduce any evidence that the defendant’s DNA profile was in a DNA database. People v. Jackson, 865 N.E.2d 195 (1st Dist. 2007).  This situation comes up mostly in cold-hit cases, where the prosecution seeks to inform the jury that a database hit to the defendant’s profile occurred.  According to the First District Appellate Court, it is error to admit reference to the database.

Recently, we posted the seniority list as known by AFSCME Council 31 in Springfield.  Many of you reviewed it and then sent correspondence indicating any errors you noticed.  Management responded by saying that they have their own list and we have now uploaded it for your review.  Please take a look at it and as we said before, send a memo to personnel if there is a mistake.  Then we will send the corrections to Springfield and hopefully arrive at a more accurate list.

Click Management’s Seniority List 022508 to see a pdf version of this list.

I think we can all relax now that the budget passed.  Thanks to all the members and their phone calls to their commissioners, the Cook Count Board voted 9-8 to increase the sales tax by 1% and to also give the Bureau of Health Services to an independent board for management for the next three years.  The vote on the actual budget was 10-7. The compromise which led to the deal on the final day was months in the making and appears to have been spearheaded by former public defender and commissioner Larry Suffredin.  Commissioner Suffredin advocated for an independent body to manage the hospital system but many felt  that was an issue that could be put off into the future.  His insistence on this change and the President’s need for another vote for the tax increase is what led to the compromise.  Now we have revenue and reform.