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Illinois' longest-serving exonerated man files $200M lawsuit against Chicago authorities

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Illinois' longest-serving exonerated man files 0M lawsuit against Chicago authorities


Illinois’ longest-serving exonerated man is taking legal action after spending more than 42 years in prison for a double murder that he said he didn’t commit. 

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Jimmy Soto, 63, spent more time in prison than any other known wrongfully convicted individual in Illinois history.

On Tuesday, Soto filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Police Department, several Cook County prosecutors, Cook County and the city of Chicago. His conviction, which dates back to 1981 when he was just 20 years old, was overturned last December after a judge ruled that he and his cousin did not receive adequate legal counsel during their trial.

Soto and his cousin, David Ayala, were convicted of murdering a Marine and a teenager. At the time of their conviction, there was reportedly no physical evidence linking them to the crime.

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Now, Soto is seeking more than $200 million in damages, expressing doubts that even that amount could fully compensate for the years of his life lost. 



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‘Urgent warning:’ DMV scam texts appear more official than before, Giannoulias says

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‘Urgent warning:’ DMV scam texts appear more official than before, Giannoulias says


Did you get a strange text claiming to be from the Illinois DMV, demanding money? It’s a trick, the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office says, with Alexi Giannoulias issuing an “urgent warning” about a new wave of threatening scam texts going out.

The unsolicited texts, which falsely claim to be from the Illinois Secretary of State or DMV, prompted the office to issue several messages about it this week, saying “scammers have recently escalated their tactics” with texts that look even more official with fake fines and regulations, deadlines or penalty dates.

“Many of the texts cite an upcoming enforcement date and list severe consequences to pressure recipients into acting quickly,” a press release from Giannoulias’ office said Tuesday. “These schemes are designed to create panic and trick individuals into surrendering money or personal information.”

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Suburban police departments and even Chicago officials have also warned of the scam.

In a March 20 message posted to Facebook, the Oswego Police Department shared a photo of what one scam text may look like, saying “it includes a photo of what appears to be an official notice for a traffic violation hearing.”

“The document may look legit at first glance, even listing Illinois statutes, but there are some clear red flags,” the department said.

Below is a photo the department shared of what some of the texts may look like or contain:

The Illinois Secretary of State’s office says it will never send a text message demanding payment or threatening to suspend a license. The only time the office will send a text, Giannoulias said, is to remind someone of a scheduled DMV appointment.

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“If you receive a message like this, remember it’s a scam – plain and simple. Do not click the link and please report the message to scamalert@ilsos.gov,” the release said.

Wednesday at 2 p.m., Giannoulias will hold a news conference about the scam, saying “don’t click it’s a trick.” Giannoulias is expected to break down how it works, and what to watch out for.

If you do receive a text, here’s what the Secretary of State’s office recommends:

-NEVER to click a link

-Do not reply

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-Do not provide personal information

-Forward the message to the SOS’ scam alert email





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Lottery-winning ticket worth $5.6 million sold in downstate Illinois

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Lottery-winning ticket worth .6 million sold in downstate Illinois


One lucky Illinois Lottery player is a whole lot richer after they captured the jackpot in Monday’s Lotto drawing.

According to the Illinois Lottery, the ticket captured a jackpot worth $5.6 million in the Monday draw of the Lotto game, and the winner has not yet come forward.

Officials say the ticket was sold at Royals Liquor, located in Belleville, located just southeast of St. Louis.

“I got a call early this morning from a customer saying we sold the winning jackpot ticket,” said Bhavik Patel, co-owner of the store. “At first, I thought it was a prank—it can be hard to believe something like that over the phone. I checked the Lottery’s website and was shocked to see our store listed as the retailer that sold the winning ticket.”

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The store will receive a 1% bonus from the sale of the winning ticket, which was the second-largest awarded in the Lotto game this year.

The winning ticket matched numbers 5-18-27-33-40-49 in the drawing, according to officials.

Lotto is drawn on Monday, Thursday and Saturday, and is an Illinois-only game. Tickets can be purchased at participating retailers or via the Lottery’s website and mobile app.



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Illinois bill to expand sale of raw milk fails as advocates continue push

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Illinois bill to expand sale of raw milk fails as advocates continue push




Illinois bill to expand sale of raw milk fails as advocates continue push – CBS Chicago

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The state health department warns against drinking unpasteurized milk because it can make people sick.

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