If you are stopped by the police here in Chicago, it's important not to surrender your Constitutionally-protected rights. But because these encounters are often a surprise and quite emotionally-charged, you may be unsure what you should, and shouldn't do.
What should you do if stopped by the police?
Steps that you should take if your civil rights were violated
In Illinois, laws exist to protect individuals' civil rights in the workplace, in acquiring housing and during police stops. They protect individuals from being discriminated against for belonging to protected classes such as a certain religious, racial or age groups or because they're perceived to be of a certain gender or sexual orientation. Legal remedies are available for you to pursue if your civil rights have been violated.
Street named for civil rights hero in Chicago
A major road in downtown Chicago has been renamed after a civil rights hero, according to multiple news reports. It is also the first time in history that a road in the city has been named for a black woman. Ida B. Wells Drive was dedicated earlier in February. The street renamed was Congress Parkway. Wells was a pioneer in journalism and civil rights. She was also a suffragist.
Why does Illinois have so many exonerations?
Illinois ranks third among all states in the number of people wrongfully convicted of a crime and then exonerated. Over the past three decades, 225 people in our state have been cleared of the crimes they were convicted of. Last year alone, the National Registry of Exonerations reported that 21 people were cleared of convictions for murder, robbery, drug possession and sexual assault. All but one are men.
