CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Public defenders in Cook County say racist enforcement of gun laws in Chicago are ruining the lives of people who live in black and brown communities.
Assistant public defenders Margaret Armalas and Megan Tomlinson wrote in a Chicago Tribune op-ed that almost 25 percent of the felony cases assigned to their office are gun possession cases, but they see an appalling pattern with these cases.
They say that unlike in white communities, black and brown people are pulled over for minor traffic violations. Their car is searched and if a gun is found, they’re arrested on suspicion of a felony.
They say those prosecutions have not had an impact on cutting down gun violence, but do ruin the lives of their clients who if convicted, have trouble finding jobs or housing.
"These prosecutions have failed to significantly reduce the demand for guns in our city. They clog up the courts." Armalas and Tomlinson wrote.
"They haven’t stopped mass shootings. And the racist pattern of selective enforcement exacerbates already terrible community relations with law enforcement."
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