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Click on the criminal defense case victory links below to learn more about how we won each case.

Recently Won Cases

(Actual Dates and Cases)

January 2021

Domestic Battery – Bodily Harm – Class A Misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon – 1st OFFENDER GUN PROGRAM

Cannabis Trafficking – Class X – Mandatory IDOC – REDUCED TO CLASS 1 FELONY WITH PROBATION

Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon – Class 4 Felony – CASE DISMISSED

Aggravated Speeding – Class B Misdemeanor – REDUCED TO PETTY TRAFFIC OFFENSE

Retail Theft/Battery Class A Misdemeanors – EXPUNGEMENT GRANTED

December 2020

Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapon – Class 4 Felony – REDUCED TO CLASS A MISDEMEANOR

Driving While License Suspended – CASE DISMISSED

Unlawful Use of Weapon Class A Misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapon- Class 4 Felony – REDUCED TO CLASS A MISDEMEANOR

Aggravated Speeding- Class B Misdemeanor – REDUCED TO PETTY TRAFFIC TICKET

November 2020

Possession of a Controlled Substance – Class 4 Felony – CASE DISMISSED

October 2020

Leaving the Scene – Class A Felony – CASE DISMISSED

No Stalking Petition – VACATED

Aggravated UUW – Class 4 Felony – FINDING NO PROBABLE CAUSE

Aggravated UUW – Class 4 Felony – CASE DISMISSED

September 2020

Disorderly Conduct – CASE DISMISSED

August 2020

Aggravated UUW – Class 4 – FINDING NO PROBABLE CAUSE

JULY 2020

MB and son JB – Murder Charges ruled self defense – CASE DISMISSED

Petition for Governor’s Pardon and Clemency – PETITION GRANTED

Three (3) separate cases of manufacturing/delivery of cocaine – Class 1 felonies – CASE DISMISSED

MARCH to JUNE COURTS CLOSED DUE TO COVID-19

APRIL 2020

Violation of Order of Protection- Class A misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

Leaving the Scene of Accident- Class A misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

Felony Sealing – GRANTED

Felony Gun Case Sealing – GRANTED

Battery- class A misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

Aggravated Sexual Abuse Investigation – NOT CHARGED

March 2020

JB – Class X- MDMA/Ecstasy Possession with Intent to Deliver – looking at 6-30 years IDOC – CASE DISMISSED

Disorderly Conduct – CASE DISMISSED

Misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

February 2020

MF -1st Degree Murder – ACQUITTED

Battery to a child – CASE DISMISSED

Order of Protection – CASE DISMISSED

Possession of Cannabis – Class 4 Felony; Unlawful Possession of Weapon – CASE DISMISSED

Deceptive Practices – Class 4 felony – CASE DISMISSED

DUI – REDUCED TO RECKLESS DRIVING

January 2020

AW – Aggravated Arson-class X – Dismissed

Criminal Trespass to Land – Class A Misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

December 2018

Possession of Controlled Substance- Class 4 Felony – CASE DISMISSED

Possession of Cannabis – Class 4 Felony & Unlawful Use of a Weapon – Class A Misdemeanor – DISMISSED

November 2018

Battery – Misdemeanor – BENCH TRIAL- NOT GUILTY

Battery – Misdemeanor – CASE DISMISSED

Battery and Obstruction of Justice – CASE DISMISSED

People v. GK, Agg Speeding – Misdemeanor – REDUCED TO PETTY OFFENSE

DUI – REDUCED TO RECKLESS DRIVING

People v. AN, DUI – REDUCED TO RECKLESS DRIVING

October 2018

Battery – CASE DISMISSED

Assault – CASE DISMISSED

Felony Class 4 possession of a controlled substance – CASE DISMISSED

Disorderly conduct – CASE DISMISSED

Felony aggravated DUI – NOT GUILTY

September 2018

Felony Class 3 criminal fortification of a residence or building – FINDING OF NO PROBABLE CAUSE AT A PRELIMINARY HEARING – CASE DISMISSED

Battery – CASE DISMISSED

Class 4 felony possession of heroin – CASE DISMISSED

Domestic battery – CASE DISMISSED

Violation of an Order of Protection – DISMISSED

Battery – CASE DISMISSED

Unlawful use of a weapon – CASE DISMISSED

Class 4 felony possession of cocaine – CASE DISMISSED

August 2018

Battery – CASE DISMISSED

Class 4 felony possession of a controlled substance – CASE DISMISSED

July 2018

Battery – CASE DISMISSED

Class 4 felony possession of a controlled substance – CASE DISMISSED

Driving on a suspended license – CASE DISMISSED

Possession of marijuana – CASE DISMISSED

Class 4 felony possession of a controlled substance – CASE DISMISSED

June 2018

DUI – Misdemeanor – DISMISSED ON MOTION TO DISMISS 06/2018

Battery Misdemeanor – DISMISSED

Civil Forfeiture – HEARING WON – CAR RETURNED

May 2018

Pardon – GRANTED W/ LEAVE TO EXPUNGE

Battery Misdemeanor – DISMISSED – CONVINCED STATE IT WAS SELF DEFENSE

Expungement – EXPUNGEMENT GRANTED

April 2018

Executive Clemency Petition (AKA Governor’s Pardon) for Class 2 felony burglary – GRANTED

Battery – CASE DISMISSED

March 2018

Class 2 unlawful use of a weapon by a felon – NOT GUILTY

February 2018

Domestic battery – CASE DISMISSED

January 2018

Domestic battery – CASE DISMISSED

December 2017

Class 4 felony possession of a controlled substance – FINDING OF NO PROBABLE CAUSE AT PRELIMINARY HEARING – CASE DISMISSED

Class X Felony Cannabis Case – NOT GUILTY

Chicago Crime – By The Numbers 2020 Pandemic Edition

February 19, 2021 / Robert J Callahan / Blog, News & Stuff

CHICAGO CRIME: BY THE NUMBERS

2020/PANDEMIC EDITION

COVID-19 affected all areas of life in 2020. How did the coronavirus affect the Cook County criminal justice system? Outside of mandatory zoom court, what's changed? Were fewer cases filed this year? Is criminal defense litigation down in 2020? From a criminal defense perspective, how is 2019 different from 2020?

In 2016, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office released the first-ever annual report of the Cook County Felony criminal case filings and dispositions. The Cook County State's Attorney's Office continued to update this database during the coronavirus pandemic.

The information below outlines the annual statistics on the Cook County crime rate, jail population, and outcomes/dispositions of the most frequently filed felony cases.

CRIME RATE

Total crime in Chicago is down 7% in 2020 compared to 2019. This is due to significant reductions in complaints about burglaries and theft. In fact, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) reported 2020 as a 20 year low in overall crime, as well as a 20 year low in burglaries and thefts. There was a 27% reduction in thefts and a 6% reduction in burglaries across the board in 2020. This is not a new trend. In fact, the overall crime rate has been declining since 2014/2015. With that said, homicides and shootings are up more than double than last year.

Shootings are up 51% compared to 2019 and homicides are up 50%. There were 3,033 total shootings in 2020 and 716 murders. Not only are civilian shootings up, but violence against police is also up 300% this year. Officers were shot at 71 times, with 10 cops actually being shot. The Chicago Police Department recovered over 10,000 guns in 2020, a sizable increase from around 2016/2017 when they recovered an average of 7500 guns/year. Most significantly, gun arrests are up by 24% since 2019, with a total of 4,900 Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon/firearm arrests through November.

PEOPLE INCARCERATED

Since April, the Cook County Jail has been a hotspot for coronavirus. The number of cases declined initially due to expedited bond hearings resulting in the release of scores of inmates. In total, eight detainees, four corrections officers, and one sheriff's deputy have died after testing positive for COVID-19. Since the pandemic began, over 1,150 Cook County jail detainees have tested positive for the coronavirus. In early December 2020, the number of active positive cases at the jail exceeded the peak from the initial outbreak in the spring, but that figure declined recently. As far as the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC), the last two months of 2020 saw a dramatic increase in positive coronavirus cases. From March until August, there were 368 positive covid cases in the IDOC. That number is now over 6,000, with 1,200 active/current, cases.

SPECIFIC OFFENSE STATISTICS:

Cook County files on average about 35,000 felony cases per year. This year that number is down almost 10,000 case filings, with a total of 26,948. Of those cases, 20,417 were presented to the Cook County State's Attorney's Felony Review to initiate charges against defendants. 68% of the cases presented to Felony Review were approved aka charges filed.

Note, misdemeanor offenses are not included in this analysis, which number in the hundreds of thousands of cases annually. Below is a breakdown of how certain felonies, such as Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Driving Under the Influence (DUI), and Aggravated Battery, are filed, as well as how they play out once they reach the courtroom. Additionally, this article does not address drug offenses, such as possession of a controlled substance or manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance. These types of offenses will be addressed in future posting.

AGGRAVATED UNLAWFUL USE OF A WEAPON

[raw] [column size="1/3" wpautop="true"] 2020 Total Cases Charged 5,457 [/column] [column size="1/3" wpautop="true"] 2019 Total Cases Charged 4,307 [/column] [column size="1/3" wpautop="true" last] Column 3... [/column] [clear] [/raw]

2020 2019
Total Cases Charged 5,457 4,307
Total Cases Resolved 1,858 3,878
PLEA OF GUILTY 64% (1,190) 72% (2,780)
BENCH TRIALS 81 (72% NG, 28% G) 397 (52% NG, 48% G)
JURY TRIALS 7 (5 G, 2 NG) 41 (54% G, 46% NG)
DISMISSED 573 (31%) 652 (17%) DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE
**includes Aggravated (felony) Driving Under the Influence & misdemeanor Driving Under the Influence 2020 2019
Total Cases Charged 816 1,262
Total Cases Resolved 527 1,186
PLEA OF GUILTY 86% (456) 86% (1,017)
BENCH TRIALS 23 (57% G (13), 43% NG (10) 90 (69% G, 31% NG)
JURY TRIALS 1 (NG) 4 ( 3 G, 1 NG)
DISMISSED 46 (.5%) 75 (.6%)

BURGLARY:

2020 2019
Total Cases Charged 1,252 1,153
Total Cases Resolved 488 1,222
PLEA OF GUILTY 374 (77%) 1,026 (84%)
BENCH TRIALS 5 (all G) 26 (73% G, 27% NG)
JURY TRIALS 1 (Guilty) 7 (86% G, 14% NG)
DISMISSED 108 (22%) 161 (13%)

TOTAL ROBBERY CASES CHARGED 2020:

2020 2019
Total Cases Charged 577 796
Total Cases Resolved 303 876
PLEA OF GUILTY 89% (272) 87% (764)
BENCH TRIALS 6 ( 5 G, 1 NG) 47 (64% G, 46% NG)
JURY TRIALS 2 (both NG) 6 (4 G, 2 NG)
DISMISSED 22 (7%) 56 (6%)

TOTAL AGGRAVATED BATTERY CASES CHARGED 2020:

*includes misdemeanor Domestic Battery & felony Domestic Battery-but not Aggravated Battery to a Police Officer

2020 2019
Total Cases Charged 546 833
Total Cases Resolved 325 714
PLEA OF GUILTY 84% (257) 78% (558)
BENCH TRIALS 28 (57% NG, 43% G) 68 (79% G, 21% NG)
JURY TRIALS 6 (4 G, 2 NG) 10 (70% G, 30% NG)
DISMISSED 31 (9%) 72 (10%)

TOTAL MURDER CASES CHARGED 2020

2020 2019
Total Cases Charged 357 362
Total Cases Resolved 93 273
PLEA OF GUILTY 62 (66%) 147 (54%)
BENCH TRIALS 14 (50% NG, 50% G) 53 (68% G, 42% NG)
JURY TRIALS 7 (7 G, 0 NG) 44 (73% G, 27% NG)
DISMISSED 10 (11%) 27 (9%)

Conclusion

TO BE CLEAR: the above statistics are by no means a prediction for what will happen with YOUR case. In fact, it isn't exactly a complete picture of ALL the criminal cases in Cook County. For example, this article does not address narcotics/drug offenses, which at over 8,000 drug offense felony filings per year, which are the largest single category of felony filings each year. However, it does provide a snapshot of the crime rate, jail population, and certain types of felony case outcomes in 2020.

As the numbers in the chart indicate, the number of trials that occurred in 2020 was drastically less than in 2019. This was obviously due to the coronavirus pandemic shutting down the court system for almost all of 2020. As 2021 progresses, it is expected a substantial amount of litigation will occur to make up for the lack of litigation in 2019.

When you're charged with a crime, you're already a statistic. Don't find yourself on the losing side of the 2021 Cook County State's Attorney's annual report. At Robert Callahan & Associates, we can help prevent that from happening. If you've been recently charged with a crime or have been fighting your case, call Robert Callahan & Associates, and let's talk about keeping you on the right side of the stats. We crunched the numbers, we know the law, give us a call. 312-322-9000.

*All statistics from the Cook County State's Attorney's Office website:
https://www.cookcountystatesattorney.org/about/data-reports