Walter “Slim” Coleman (center) speaks at a rally in the Loop called to protest an immigration raid in Little Village in 2007. Al Podgorski/Chicago Sun-Times Walter 'Slim' Coleman, a dyed-in-the-wool radical activist of the 1960s who for decades harnessed the power of the city's poor to challenge its power structure and achieve social justice goals, died Tuesday after a long bout with illness. He was 80. One of his biggest accomplishments was helping to organize a voting drive in Chicago's poor white communities that helped elect Mayor Harold Washington, the city's first Black mayor. Mr ..read more

Chicago police unleash a stream of pepper spray at protesters on State Street near Lake Street May 30, 2020. Thousands in Chicago joined national outrage over the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times A divided City Council Finance Committee agreed Monday to pay $750,000 to compensate a man for leg injuries suffered when he was allegedly clubbed by police during the demonstrations that descended into chaos after the 2020 murder of George Floyd. Downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) said he’s concerned paying a settlement to Bryan Mejia, who suffered a fractu ..read more

Chicago officials hold a news conference at City Hall on security measures for the Democratic National Convention this summer. Anthony Vazquez, Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times Chicago’s top cop on Wednesday said his officers are preparing to walk a fine line during this summer’s Democratic National Convention by allowing protesters to have their voices heard while tamping down any violence or vandalism. During a City Hall news conference detailing convention planning, Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling said departmental training has focused on learning from the department’s past failures and ..read more

The CTA van Darion Lindsey admitted he helped set fire to on May 30, 2020. U.S. District Court records A Park Forest man admitted Thursday that he helped set fire to a Chicago Transit Authority van and threw lit fireworks at members of the Chicago Fire Department amid the rioting that broke out in the city in May 2020.  Darion Lindsey, 22, now faces a likely prison sentence of around three or more years. U.S. District Judge John Blakey scheduled his sentencing hearing for April 25, at which point Lindsey’s attorney said he’s likely to ask for time served.  Related ‘On my way t ..read more

Tuesday meeting of the Chicago City Council’s Rules Committee saw more chaos and shouting from the public in the Council chambers as committee members debated whether to place a referendum on the March ballot that would allow voters to weigh in on how the city responds to the migrant crisis. Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times Mayor Brandon Johnson’s allies tried Tuesday to approve their own, softer version of a non-binding referendum on Chicago’s burgeoning migrant crisis but failed after being shouted down by an angry crowd ordered forcibly removed from City Council chambers. “Sergeant-at-arms, clea ..read more

Tyre Nichols was beaten by members of a Memphis police crime-suppression unit Jan. 7 near his home. He died at a hospital three days later. Associated Press MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Five former Memphis police officers were charged Tuesday with federal civil rights violations in the beating death of Tyre Nichols as they continue to fight second-degree murder charges in state courts arising from the killing. Tadarrius Bean, Desmond Mills, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin and Justin Smith were indicted in U.S. District Court in Memphis. The four-count indictment charges them with deprivation of rights ..read more

Federal prosecutors say this still image from surveillance footage depicts Adam Walton (left) entering an Old Navy at Marshfield Plaza on May 31, 2020. | U.S. District Court records An emotional Adam Walton, 41, stood before the court on Monday and apologized profusely to his family, the court and to police officers for his actions in May 2020. A Chicago man was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for allegedly looting a South Side clothing store and illegally possessing a firearm as a felon during historic civil unrest and looting that reverberated throughout city neighborhoods last ..read more

Kyle Rittenhouse in court Friday in Kenosha: Reckless decision-making but not guilty. | Sean Krajacic / The Kenosha News via AP The evidence showed he wasn’t the aggressor. That it took so long for the jury to decide that indicates some jurors found it harder than others to arrive at the conclusion. Many people are going to have trouble accepting the Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty verdict, but I think there would be fewer of them if they’d watched the trial, beginning to end, as a jury does. It bothers me deeply that Rittenhouse killed two people with a gun a 17-year-old shouldn’t have had in a f ..read more

Kyle Rittenhouse broke down while testifying in his own defense. With closing arguments Monday, it would be a shock if he were found guilty. | Sean Krajacic / The Kenosha News via AP Before, I could see Kyle Rittenhouse being found not guilty. Now, having seen the rest of the evidence, I’d be shocked if he’s convicted of anything more than a weapons charge Lawyers are scheduled to deliver their closing arguments Monday in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, and then the case will go to the jury. If I were a member of that jury, I expect I would reluctantly vote to acquit Rittenhouse of the most seriou ..read more

President Ronald Reagan attends the Illinois State Fair in Springfield in 1986 with Gov. James Thompson. Reagan is holding a 4-day-old goat belonging to Carry Marshall, 16, of Decatur. | Nancy Stuenkel/Sun-Times file The committee didn’t make a final determination about a statue of Reagan. State Rep. Mary Flowers said the panel she chairs is not at the decision-making stage yet and is focused on listening to “what everyone has to say.” As statues of controversial figures are being torn down across the nation, an Illinois House panel on Wednesday discussed putting a new one up in Springfield of ..read more