We are calling for the immediate resignation of Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke.
A former prosecutor and appellate court judge, Burke ran for office because, according to her, the justice system was not working for the people. Just shy of her second year in office, Burke has shown the people of Chicago exactly why.
Not only has she waged a carte blanche war on guns that has done more to fuel mass incarceration and encourage brutality and harassment by the police than stop gun violence, but she has equally conceded her authority to prosecute local police officers for the murders they commit and federal agents for murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, and other acts of terror committed against Chicagoans during Operation Midway Blitz. Instead of standing up for truth and justice, Burke has made it a mission to uphold injustice and bully her way into convictions. She claims, for example, to care about domestic violence victims, but prosecuted Keshia Golden and Vanessa Sanders for defending themselves while pregnant from being killed by their abusers. When the public righteously rallied around Keshia and her right to defend her life, Burke used Keshia’s love for her child to force her into a plea deal. Days before trial, Keshia was made to plead to involuntary manslaughter and no prison time. Despite facing 20-60 years in prison for first-degree murder, a charge the state was expected to provide evidence of in open court, the state threw out her murder charges. Keshia, a young mother who should never have been charged for defending her life, would only be set free if she told Burke she was guilty.
Like Keshia, Burke has also refused to free Ivy Kelly, an innocent man left to rot behind bars for 30 years. Disregarding the corruption that led to his conviction, Burke labeled Ivy a danger to society and that he must remain in Cook County Jail. However, Ivy is only a danger if he continues to fight for his innocence. If Ivy pleas guilty today, Burke is prepared to let him go immediately, even if that means pleading guilty to a crime he never committed. Ivy is among the 6,000 + lives locked inside the hell hole that is CCJ. Brutal conditions inside CCJ combined with never ending delays by the prosecution are designed to produce plea deals not justice. Rather than spending an indeterminate time in CCJ, many people inside the jail would rather plea out and go to prison, whether the state can prove they committed the offense they are charging them for or not.
For all these reasons, Burke‘s openly reactionary politics has rightfully made her a target of public condemnation. Still, despite her particular love for injustice, Burke has faithfully fulfilled her role as the top prosecutor like the prosecutors before her. Burke’s predecessor, the openly progressive State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, rhetoric couldn’t hide her commitment to the status quo of her office. Foxx charged Vanessa and Keshia with first-degree murder for killing their abusers in self-defense. Instead of dropping Ivy’s case when his conviction was overturned due to corruption, Foxx pushed to retry him for the same crime and is the reason Ivy is still locked up today. When Foxx promised the mother of 15-year old Dakota Bright that she would charge Brandon Ternand for shooting Dakota in the head as he ran away, Foxx reneged on her promise and ruled Dakota’s killing justified. Today, Ternand remains a police officer. He joins killer cops Alejandro Urbano Mateo, Salah Saleh, and Oscar Asilis who are responsible for the murders of Timothy Glaze and Nathaniel Fejerang, respectively. Like Foxx, Burke ruled Timothy and Nate’s killings justified, this time with no illusions about her support for killer cops.
While we are calling for Burke’s resignation, we believe that anyone who takes the seat of top prosecutor in Cook County is committing to faithfully uphold a system that has no interest in truth, justice, or fairness. Irregardless of who holds the position, the office of the State’s Attorney, its policies and actions should continue to be subjected to the judgment of the people and their righteous demands for justice. Moreover, Foxx’s tenure as State’s Attorney is a reminder that justice will not be won by waiting for a progressive prosecutor to come to power. Justice should be in the hands of the people. It must be fought for against the corrupt courts, killer police, and torturous jails and prisons that keep them oppressed at every turn. But beyond winning piecemeal victories, we must struggle for revolution: the overthrow of the system and seizure of state power. Only by taking power over their lives will the people have true justice.
If you agree, we ask that you sign this petition calling for Burke’s resignation.
To Eileen Burke: If you disagree with our position, we challenge you to descend from your ivory tower and publicly debate us on your tenure. Answer to us and the public for the injustices you have allowed under your reign as State’s Attorney. Prove us wrong.
