Category: Chicago

Coward Shoots 5-Year-Old Angel in Chicago

Posted on by TL

This is horribly ugly.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

A young girl was killed after being struck by a stray bullet in a Far South Side shooting that also left two other children injured Tuesday night, police said.

The three children were shot at 7:55 p.m. near Indiana Avenue and 107th Street, according to Calumet Area detectives.

The children were hit by stray bullets after two men on bicycles fired shots and fled, a police source said.

Police said a young girl was shot dead at the scene.

Fire officials said a 5-year-old girl was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in very critical condition.

A 7-year-old was also shot and was taken to Roseland Community Hospital by her mother, Fire Media Affairs Chief Joe Roccalsalva said. She was listed in good condition. Police indicated the child may have suffered a graze wound.

Yolanda White, a neighborhood resident, said the shooting stemmed from an earlier confrontation near 108th Street and Indiana Avenue. That argument then escalated to a larger confrontation between people in the neighborhood, she said.

Gunfire broke out and everybody started running, White said.

The only thing we know for certain: the shooter was a coward.

Another Angel Shot and Killed in Chicago: 5-Year-Old Jonathan Jackson

Posted on by TL
Jonathan Jackson

This one is haunting.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

The inseparable twin boys were all set to start school today. They even had their clothes laid out.

But on the eve of the start of school, while playing with what they thought was a toy gun Monday night, one of the 5-year-old twins was accidentally shot in the abdomen and killed, police and relatives said.

Sources said one of the twins may have accidentally shot his brother, although the shooting was still being probed.

Killed was Jonathan Jackson of the 700 block of South California in the Lawndale neighborhood, authorities said. He also suffered a graze wound to his hand, suggesting he didn’t pulled the trigger, a source said.

Jonathan and his twin brother had just taken a bath and were playing in their pajamas in their bedroom when the tragic accident happened, said their great uncle, Bruce Prince. The boys’ great-grandmother was in the kitchen, their grandmother was in bed and their mother was on the stoop.

“Everybody heard the gunshot,” Prince said. Then “there was chaos.”

The surviving brother “walked out of the bedroom and then John crawled out. He was in a lot of pain. They thought it was a toy gun.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, and especially with the young one lost, and the young one left behind.

Park Forest Kidnap Victim Safe, Police Say

Posted on by TL
Detective John Sweitzer and Phoenix Peraza

Detective John Sweitzer and Phoenix Peraza. (Photo: PFPD)

From ENEWSPF:

Park Forest Police report that "Operation Phoenix" has concluded with the recovery of the abducted child, 5-year-old Phoenix Peraza.

For well over two months, Detective John Sweitzer has been trying to recover the child. A warrant had been issued from Chandler, Arizona, for the arrest of the alleged abductor, 57-year-old Daaiyah Manning, aka Daaiyah Najeeullah, last known address 432 Illinois Street, Park Forest. Manning is the child’s grandmother.

Police say they were contacted by someone in Chicago who had read an account of the alleged kidnapping in eNews Park Forest. Shortly after that, police announced that Ms. Manning had been arrested.

"It’s 100% due to your story," Det. Sweitzer told ENEWSPF.

On Saturday, July 31, due to his investigation and continued work, arrangements were made and the Phoenix Peraza was turned over to Detective Sweitzer at the Park Forest Police Department by Ms. Manning’s attorney.  Police say the child was in good condition and was tuned over to DCFS pending being reunited with his father, who was flying in from Arizona. 

Police say Ms. Manning will also be retuning to Arizona, in custody, to face criminal charges.

Gotta feel good about that.

Hats Off to Alderman Rick Munoz on His Honesty Regarding His Recovery from Alcoholism

Posted on by TL

I am not cynical about this, and give the man credit.

From the Chicago Tribune:

A longtime Chicago alderman has taken the unusual step of outing himself as an alcoholic just six months before he stands for re-election.

Ald. Ricardo Munoz, who expects to face a challenge in the 22nd Ward, spoke with Hoy, the Tribune’s Spanish-language paper, to discuss his battle with alcohol for a story published Monday.

"This last year has been rather difficult for me, in terms of my abuse of alcohol," Munoz said in a follow-up interview Monday with the Tribune. "In May, I came to the conclusion that I needed help. That’s when I checked myself into an outpatient rehab clinic."

For nearly five weeks, Munoz was counseled daily, and says he’s now going once a week. He also joined Alcoholics Anonymous and said he has remained sober except for a one-day relapse.

Munoz said he drank excessively after work, but not in the mornings and afternoons. He sometimes missed evening meetings and went into work at 9 or 10 a.m., instead of 6 or 7 a.m.

"The disease had affected every aspect of my life," Munoz said. "It affected me professionally, socially and at home. That’s why I came to the conclusion that I couldn’t continue it and needed help."

The veteran politician’s admission comes ahead of February’s city election, where Munoz is expected to seek another term representing Little Village on the council.

Congratulations, Alderman.

And best to you.

Illinois’ National Disgrace Almost At At End: Blago Case Finally To Go To Jury

Posted on by TL

Our national disgrace is almost over, Chicagoland. Illinois. Blago’s case is finally going to the jury.

From the Sun-Times:

The prosecution finishes its rebuttal and Judge Zagel adjourns court for the day.

‘Members of the jury, you’ve heard all the evidence and the arguments,” he tells them.

He tells the jury it is especially important now that they avoid news reports and not talk about the case, and asks them to return in the morning for jury instructions.

The Sun-Times’ Blago Blog is really spectacular, providing the best coverage of the trial.

Except for my friend Cait, who actually went to the court today, and said Rod “had the most miserable depressed look ever on his face” when she saw him in the cafeteria.

Yes, Cait and a friend went to Chicago today to see Blago. And the Sox.

Enjoyed the Sox more.

Sorry, Rod.

Another Child Shot in Chicago – Do We Care Anymore?

Posted on by TL

From ABC 7 News in Chicago:

A teenage boy was shot and critically wounded Sunday afternoon in the city’s Roseland neighborhood.

The 14-year-old, identified by his family as Kionn Rogers, was shot in the chest in the Far South Side area at approximately 1:45 p.m. in the 10700-block of South Wentworth.

He reportedly is visiting from Springfield amd [sic] was riding his bike at the time of the shooting.

Riding on his bike at the time of the shooting.

Have we grown numb in Chicago to these reports? Seems they happen every day.

Are we ready to take a look at why these shootings happen? It’s not about "them," or "those people," after all. Somehow, it’s about us.

"They" are "us." "We" are "them."

How can we all get that? Understand that?

Rod “The Mouth” Blagojevich Decides Again To Not Testify When It Matters Most: At Trial (With Video)

Posted on by TL

Governor Rod Blagojevich did not testify in his own defense when the Illinois Senate put him on trial and eventually threw him out of office. The man who never passed up a camera or microphone while in office decided to refrain from testifying before the Illinois Senate, and then showed up to speak before that same Illinois Senate just before they tossed him out.

Now, after his lawyers promised he would testify and would set the record straight, Blago has decided to snub the court once again.

Rod Blagojevich, now former governor, will not testify in his own defense.

Why? The best we can gather comes from the Chicago Tribune:

A defiant Rod Blagojevich defended his decision Wednesday not to take the witness stand at his corruption trial by declaring the government had not only failed to present a strong case against him, but actually proved his innocence.

But like many things the former governor has said over the years, the choice was more complicated.

While his lawyers publicly backed Blagojevich’s view that he didn’t need to respond to the government’s case, sources said the defense team was worried the former governor could be headed toward a beating on the stand that would only undermine his case and weaken his standing with the jury.

I’m going with the beating-on-the-stand-would-undermine-his-case explanation. This is my favorite:

The sources said the former governor had difficulty wrapping words around the concepts he wanted to use to defend himself.

After all this time, the former governor was at a loss for words? After showing up on The View?

I don’t think so.

Dying Chicago Teen: ‘Tell My Mom That I Love Her’

Posted on by TL

From the Chicago Tribune:

Jeremiah Sterling ran away from the gunman pursuing him through a yard near his home in the Far South Side’s West Pullman neighborhood, but the teen didn’t make it.

As he laying dying, shot at least seven times, he gave a friend one last request: "I want you to tell my mom that I love her."

Sterling, 16, who was identified by family members but whose identity has not been released by authorities, was shot about 3:40 p.m. today in alley in the 11500 block of South May Street, between Aberdeen and May streets, according to Chicago Police News Affairs.

The boy initially was in critical condition on the scene, and died soon after, said Dwyer, who did not have information about where the boy may have been taken for treatment. Family members said Sterling, who lived on the 11500 block of South May Street, was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

Police said he died of multiple gunshot wounds.

Sixteen years young.

Why Does Gary Montino, Convicted Felon, Get To Keep His Pension From Melrose Park?

Posted on by TL

Vito Scavo (left) and Gary Montino arrive at court in May.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Two crooked Melrose Park cops — the chief and his deputy — got convicted of the same crime.

One got his pension yanked this week.

But the other will keep on receiving more than $5,600 a month in benefits, in a highly unusual decision by the Melrose Park Police Pension Board.

Both former Police Chief Vito Scavo, 62, and his right-hand man, Deputy Chief Gary Montino, 54, were convicted of racketeering conspiracy in 2009 for their roles in a scheme to muscle local businesses into hiring the two security firms Scavo illegally ran out of the police department.

By law, a police officer can’t get a pension if he’s been convicted of a felony related to his job.

Scavo oversaw and profited from the two security firms which used on-duty police officers and police equipment for private jobs.

His deputy, Montino, was heavily involved in the day-to-day operations of the firms while working at the police department, according to government filings.

What an odd decision.

Look, this is a tough one to post. I have a great deal of respect for our men and women in blue.

But, really, why the split decision? To what extent were personal feelings an issue here?

Juror’s Hear Patti Blagojevich’s Potty Mouth

Posted on by TL
Blago

Patti On Tape: "Tell Them To Hold Up That F***ing Cubs S***. F*** them."

I don’t have a picture of Patti Blagojevich. Never met her.

Met the former Gov. several times. This picture comes from one of those meetings, taken in Matteson’s Lincoln Mall so many lifetimes ago, it seems now.

Actually believed in him once.

Yes, I was had, as were the many who voted for him.

In spite of the huge numbers who voted for him in Chicago’s South Suburbs, Blago the Press Guy only visited our area a few times.

This week, the jury hearing the trial of His Hairness got to hear Mrs. Blago talk smack, now on the record.

From Chicago’s CBS:

While Bob Greenlee, a onetime deputy governor for Rod Blagojevich, was on the stand Thursday, prosecutors played a tape of a phone conversation Greenlee had with Rod and Patti Blagojevich.

In that conversation, the three of them are discussing Chicago Tribune articles and editorials that had been critical of the governor and the Tribune Company’s attempts to sell Wrigley Field to the state as part of a pending sale of the Chicago Cubs.

Patti is heard saying, "Tell them to hold up that f***ing Cubs s***. F*** them, f*** them. Why should you do anything for those a**holes? Sam Zell. What kind of bulls*** is that."

Later, Patti is heard complaining about the Tribune’s editorial board.
"Just fire ’em … What would … William Randolph Hearst do, say, oh, I can’t interfere with my editorial board? … They’re hurting (the Tribune Company’s) business," Patti Blagojevich says.

Greenlee adds, "They’ve lost all impartiality."

Later, Rod is heard talking about asking his chief of staff, John Harris, to approach Tribune owner Sam Zell and tell him to "fire those f***ers."

Throughout the call, Greenlee repeatedly warns Blagojevich to be careful about how to approach the Tribune about the negative editorials about the governor, telling him it would be a "sensitive" issue to even just imply the editorial board should be fired.

At one point, Blagojevich asks, "What’s so sensitive about it?"

On the stand, Greenlee testified that he knew "it’s wrong to try to fire people over an editorial opinion."

I have no idea where this trial is going. It’s hard to keep up. The press is focusing on the profanity, sometimes over substance, I think. I hope the jury is hearing the substance. In spite of all the allegations, and some of our personal feelings, His Hairness deserves a fair trial. If convicted, it should be solid.

Of course, he only has himself to blame for the sideshow.