Cook County Public Defenders Blog

Dear Brother and Sister Assistant Public Defenders:As we head into Labor Day weekend, I wanted us to pause a minute and reflect on what that day really means to us: cookouts, parades and the end of summer.    Is that what you were thinking?  Were you thinking pulling weeds, painting porches and entertaining in-laws?  Well maybe what we all need is a little labor history education.On September 1st, Labor Day, at 2:00 pm, there will be a very special event taking place at the Pullman Factory Building. The event is being sponsored by the Illinois AFL-CIO, the Illinois Labor History Society, the Chicago Black History Society, and the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement among others.  This is in lieu of the usual extravaganza put on at Navy Pier.  There will be Music, Food- Picnics, tours of the Landmark Pullman Historic District and special “appearances” by Eugene Debs, A. Philip Randolph, Jennie Curtiss and Franklin D. Roosevelt – after all, it is the 75th Anniversary of the New Deal.  Here are two links to more information on the celebration. Admission is free!Whatever you do this weekend, please drive carefully and be safe.In Solidarity,K.S.G.   

In a closely balanced drug case, where the defense argued  that it was unconscionable that the State had failed to have certain items tested for fingerprints, the 4th District Appellate court stated that the defense can never open the door so as to shift the burden of proof, and therefore, the State’s rebuttal argument that it was unconscionable for the defense not to have submitted the fingerprints for analysis, was reversible error. ”Further, by overruling defendant’s objections to these type of comments by the State, the trial court was in effect sanctioning an erroneous burden of proof before the eyes of the jury,”  Justice Cook wrote.  People v. Aaron Beasley, 4th District, 8/22/08.   B. E. M.

Click here for a link to an article on the new loan forgiveness law signed by President Bush.

Annette and Frankie will be there

Gidget thinks its REAL GONE and

                             space is limited. 

In April, the board participated in AFSCME Leadership Academy and identified areas that needed to be addressed within the local. Pictured from left to right are Monique Patterson, Joe Gump, Amy Thompson and Kulmeet Galhotra. (Not pictured: Brendan Max)After a careful assessment, the local leadership established the goal of having one certified steward for every twenty members.  At the time, the local had stewards, but none were certified.  So local leaders put together a plan to achieve our goal.  In early July, the plan culminated with a two-day training at Council 31 offices downtown, that led to the local having a cadre of over 20 certified stewards. Pictured below are the certified stewards and Ade Alagbala, our former staff representative from Council 31.  And during the week of July 28, 2008, we attended the International Convention in San Francisco. (Pictured below are the Local 3315 delegates consisting of the elected executive board of the local).  During the convention, the delegation listened to speeches by Al Gore and Hillary Clinton.  Senator Barack Obama spoke to the delegates via satellite. Click video for a link to the speech.At the Council 31 reception for convention delagates, the local leadership were able to make their presence known to AFSCME International Leadership.  (Pictured below, Local President Galhotra with AFSCME International Secretary-Treasurer William Lucy.)And the local always strives to maintainin a good working relationship with Council 31. (Pictured below, Joe Gump and Kulmeet Galhotra pose with Council 31 Executive Director, Henry Bayer).Pictured below is Joe Gump running in the Fun Run (5:45 am) to raise money for the PEOPLE campaign.  The runners raised over $30,000.  Nice job Joe!