Protesters gather at Lincoln Forum, demanding Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke address miscarriages of justice

CHICAGO (WLS) — There was a call Thursday to free those who have been wrongfully convicted.

During her speech at the Lincoln Forum, Cook County States Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke was met with a group of protesters outside. The rally was held while she was addressing members of the Chicago Bar Association and the Union League.

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The voices for those serving time gathered at the rally. Loved ones and advocates say some inmates are still in prison on wrongful convictions.

“Eileen Burke has the authority to intervene in any ongoing cases related to post-convictions and support motions for vacating convictions,” stated Jasmine Smith from the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

“There are individuals who are innocent and currently incarcerated, separated from their families and even losing their lives while being in prison for crimes they did not commit,” shared David Lincoln, also from the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

Under former Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, hundreds were exonerated. The call Thursday was for the new state’s attorney to continue that work.

“Our member are tired,” said Erica Bentley with MAMAS Activating Movements for Abolition and Solidarity. “It’s been a long fight, but they are not exhausted, they and we will keep at it.”

They rallied outside the Union League Club, where the new state’s attorney made a public appearance.

“I think all of us want the same thing,” O’Neill Burke said. “We want a safe thriving city all boats rise in the rising tide if we can get the crime under control it’s going to benefit everyone.”

O’Neill Burke told the group she there will be more prosecutions from her office and her prosecutors will seek detention and jail time for those using a conversion switch which converts guns to machine-guns.

“Our position is if you are carrying a weapon of war that can fire off 30 rounds in one second, you are a danger to the public,” O’Neill Burke said.

Regarding the wrongful convictions, she said the conviction integrity unit continues its work and they continue to evaluate cases.

“We are going to be successful unless we have the trust of community and that includes making sure those convictions are valid,” O’Neill Burke said.

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State’s Attorney O’Neill Burke said they are aggressively recruiting attorneys for her office to do the work she has promised.