CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Mayor Lori Lightfoot isn’t satisfied taking “no” for an answer to her request for a Cook County court moratorium on electronic monitoring for suspects in violent crimes.
The Mayor said she doesn't know anyone who thinks it's a good idea for someone charged murder, attempted murder, rape, domestic violence, or other violent crimes to be allowed to stay free, without any real supervision while awaiting trial.
Electronic monitoring, she said, was originally meant for non-violent suspects, so she will continue pushing for Cook County's courts to stop using it for violent crimes.
At an unrelated event, Lightfoot told reporters allowing violent people to be free awaiting trial makes Chicago less safe.
"I believe having 2,300 violent offenders out on the street makes our communities less safe. It sends exactly the wrong message to victims and witnesses, who are seeing these people back home on the street just after they have been charged, and it looks like there's no justice for the victims and witnesses," Lightfoot said.
She said Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans did not respond to her request directly, but through a media statement, and that means something, she said.
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But, she said, for her, this is a real issue.
"The fact that these judges are operating seemingly without any regard for public safety, and not taking that into consideration that they are mandated to do by state law is a huge problem and I am going to keep pressing that point," Lightfoot said.