Free Republic

Cook County Jail inmates applaud for suspect in Chicago cop's killing Elyssa Cherney Contact Reporter Chicago Tribune Cook County Jail officials said they planned to take action after several inmates clapped as the suspected killer of Cmdr. Paul Bauer was escorted from his first court hearing on Thursday. Jail officials said they were going to forward video of the "despicable" action by up to five inmates to prosecutors so it could be considered in any potential sentencing. None of the inmates have faced trials yet. The officials also intend to transfer those inmates to jails outside Cook County. The inmates...

A Cook County Jail guard has admitted to investigators that he helped six inmates escape over the weekend to give a political advantage to a former jail supervisor running for sheriff... The 36-year-old guard confessed that he allowed a convicted killer, two accused robbers and two others charged with aggravated kidnapping and battery to bust out of the jail to cast a shadow on Sheriff Michael Sheahan's management of the complex at 26th and California. The guard knew the negative publicity would hurt Sheahan's chief of staff, Tom Dart, who is running for sheriff... And the guard admitted he helped...