State’s attorneys ask Illinois Supreme Court to consolidate dozens of SAFE-T Act lawsuits

After over 50 state’s attorneys filed lawsuits towards Illinois’ SAFE-T Act, a movement has been filed asking the Illinois Supreme Court docket to think about consolidating the lawsuits.

The felony justice laws makes Illinois the primary state within the nation to abolish money bail on January 1.

Not less than 55 counties are going to court docket claiming the regulation is unconstitutional.

An settlement has been made to consolidate the lawsuits into one single case in Kankakee County.

The Illinois Community for Pretrial Justice not too long ago held a protest outdoors the workplaces of two of the state’s attorneys against the SAFE-T Act in DuPage and Will counties.

The group penned an open letter they mentioned was signed by 120 organizations calling on the Illinois Common Meeting to guard the pretrial provisions of the SAFE-T Act and opposed state’s attorneys’ proposals for adjustments.

“It’s completely important that any future amendments to the Pretrial Equity Act are made in the identical spirit through which it was written,” mentioned Katrina Baugh of The Folks’s Foyer.

“Utilizing this historic laws as a car for incarcerating extra Black and brown folks could be a slap within the face to the communities which have suffered below the injustices of the cash bond system for many years.”

Along with eliminating money bail, regulation enforcement will now not be allowed to arrest somebody in the event that they commit Class B or Class C misdemeanors, reminiscent of trespassing.

Loyola College printed a examine that estimated judges couldn’t have detained a defendant in 56% of the arrests in 2020 and 2021 if the SAFE-T Act had been in place then.

“If post-COVID tendencies proceed, which means someplace between 89,000 and 115,000 people per yr couldn’t be initially detained below the PFA as soon as the regulation goes into impact on January 1, 2023,” the examine mentioned.

“If pre-COVID tendencies return, 66% to 85% of people arrested will probably be arrested for non-detainable offenses; which means someplace between 172,000 and 207,000 people per yr couldn’t be initially detained below the PFA.”

Throughout a latest city corridor assembly, Adams County State’s Legal professional Gary Farha referred to as the SAFE-T Act “horrible.”

Farha additionally mentioned the declare that 100 out of 102 state’s attorneys across the state are towards the laws is not any exaggeration as a result of he was on these convention calls.

“State’s attorneys had been yelling and screaming, Democrat, Republican, it didn’t matter,” mentioned Farha.

“There have been two counties, Cook dinner County and Lake County that had been for it, no person else was for it,” Farha added.

Along with state’s attorneys and regulation enforcement companies voicing opposition to the invoice, cities and county boards are entering into the act as nicely.

The McHenry County Board not too long ago voted to oppose the SAFE-T Act.

“McHenry County is sending a transparent message to Springfield that we oppose laws that would put criminals again on the streets and decriminalize unlawful medicine in our group,” mentioned County Board Chairman Mike Buehler.