Jussie Smollett trial: 'Empire' star 'a real victim' of attack in Chicago, attorney says

A jury has been seated in the trial of former "Empire" star Jussie Smollett, who is accused of staging a hoax nearly three years ago where he was the alleged victim of a racist, anti-gay attack in Chicago.

Lemurs partake in Thanksgiving feast, watch football game at Illinois zoo

Ring-tailed lemurs at the Brookfield Zoo in Illinois were treated to a Thanksgiving feast and even a “football game” inside their enclosure.

Heather Mack, who killed mom in Bali, indicted on US murder charge

Heather Mack and Tommy Schaefer are charged with conspiring to kill Mack’s mother, Sheila von Wiese-Mack, in a federal indictment filed in 2017 and briefly unsealed Wednesday in Chicago’s federal court.

Inmate in wheelchair wrestles gun from corrections officer

An inmate being wheeled into a courthouse wrestled a gun from a corrections officer in Illinois before being shot by another officer.

Passerby shot dead after asking woman if she needed help during domestic dispute: prosecutors

A Logan Square man was so angry a passerby asked his girlfriend if she needed help while the two were fighting, he shot and killed him, Cook County prosecutors said Thursday.

North Carolina man identified as victim of serial killer John Wayne Gacy

A North Carolina man who moved to Chicago was one of the victims of John Wayne Gacy, who was convicted of killing 33 young men and boys in the 1970s, authorities said Monday.

3 charged after missing Illinois woman found dismembered

Authorities say the 21-year-old Illinois woman had been stabbed and shot several times and her limbs had been removed from her body.

Shocking new details about Chicago mom who allegedly killed her 12-year-old son over missing SD card

Video allegedly shows the mom threatening her 12-year-old son with a gun because she wanted her SD card. Prosecutors say she shot him once, answered the phone, asked for the SD card again, and shot him again.

Chicago police lieutenant accused of shoving a flashlight between buttocks of teen carjacking suspect

A Chicago police lieutenant allegedly shoved a flashlight between the buttocks of a handcuffed carjacking suspect and then yelled to the 17-year-old "That’s what you get for carjacking," prosecutors said Thursday at a felony bond hearing for the officer.

Chicago judge reverses decision, will allow unvaccinated mom to see her son after all

Cook County Judge James Shapiro told Rebecca Firlit in early August she would not be allowed to see her 11-year-old son because she refuses to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Son tells Lyons police he buried mom, sister in backyard

A house in west suburban Lyons is now a crime scene, after the resident told police that he buried his mother and sister in the back yard after they died.

Chicago dad wants stricter bail for accused child rapists after 15-year-old daughter turns up dead in alley

Chicago residents held a vigil Saturday to honor a 15-year-old girl who was found dead in an alley after being drugged and raped. Two suspects have since been charged with sex crimes.

Baby discovered inside discarded dresser in Northwest Side alley

A newborn baby is in good condition after being found in the drawer of a discarded dresser in Montclare on the Northwest Side.

5 children, left home alone, die in East St. Louis fire, officials say

Officials say five children all younger than 10 who were left home without an adult died in a fire at an apartment building in southwestern Illinois.

14-year-old killed in Chicago mass shooting had looked after visually impaired mother

Wednesday evening she called Demarion and told him he needed to come home. "He said, 'I know, I know. I love you, mom.'" Minutes later, he was shot in the head and killed.