Governor signs law beefing up gangs prosecution

[MiniMoose]

You can read the entire article here.


CHICAGO — An Illinois law giving local authorities the power to go after street gangs as criminal organizations took effect Monday, a move prosecutors and police said bolsters efforts at reducing crime in the nation’s third largest city.

Gov. Pat Quinn signed the Illinois Street Gang RICO Act into law Monday. The legislation is modeled after the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which provides stiff penalties for illegal acts performed as part of a criminal enterprise like the Mafia.

The Illinois law lists dozens of crimes, including murder for hire, kidnapping and sex trafficking, and allows prosecutors to connect single crimes to the larger group. It also stiffens penalties.

The goal is to dismantle gangs.

[Lisa Jeanne]

In 1990, one evening outside of the Exodus club on Clark street near Wrigley field 2 men were shot and killed. The area where they were killed was The reputed territory of the deadly Jamaican street gang, "Solid Gold Posse."

The 2 men that were shot had been warned by the gang not to sell fake drugs in their territory. They did not heed the warning and continued to sell these fake drugs. They were shot and killed.

One of the victims brother in a sworn affidavit attested to the fact that he warned his brother that he would get hurt if he did not stop. Just days later he was shot and killed.

Despite the police having mugshots, prior criminal records and reason to believe that some of the gang members were suspects, they opted to arrest, charge and convict my loved one. It was easier and they could create false evidence that would be believable....for awhile. 12 yrs after my loved one was convicted and imprisoned, this uncorroborated evidence that was presented at the originally flawed trial was ruled as false by the court of appeals. After 22 yrs, my loved one remains in prison for a crime perpetrated by this gang.

The same night the crime occurred a store owner next to the nightclub told the police that he had just been chased by this same gang earlier that night.

The police chose the path of least resistance when they arrested my loved one. They simply wanted to close the case and keep themselves and out of harms way.

My loved one has spent half of his life in prison for a crime this gang committed.

It's about time Illinois.