Outgoing Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx released “The Final Report: The Kim Foxx Administration”—a discussion of what she and her office accomplished during 2017-24.
In an introductory letter, Foxx stated, in part, “Thanks to the 1,200 hard workers who show- up for this office, we have accomplished a body of work that will inevitably have the power to change the course for families that call Cook County home.” She added that “bail is no longer a burden for families. Our Conviction Review Unit has helped to overturn nearly 250 wrongful convictions [248]—more than any other administration. We had a hand in wiping more than 15,000 low-level cannabis convictions across the state so that those residents didn’t have to worry about a marijuana conviction holding them back.”
The report even covers the structure of the state’s attorney’s office, stating that “is [composed] of six bureaus and and an array of specialized units that fall under those bureaus.” It adds that the office’s values include accountability, fairness, collaboration, integrity and respect, and includes that the office has several employee resource groups (ERGs) such as A.B.L.E. (Alliance of Black Leadership and Excellence), LGBTQ+, Ability Alliance and Alianza, among others.
“The Final Report” proceeds in chronological order. Under 2019, there’s a section called “Notable Cases” that lists singer R. Kelly and actor Jussie Smollett, among others. Regarding Smollett, the report stated, “In March, the CCSAO [Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office] announced an agreement with actor Jussie Smollett. The actor was charged for filing a false police report after staging a homophobic and racist attack in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood. The agreement, also known as an alternative disposition, called for Smollett to forfeit his $10,000 bond and complete community service. In turn, Smollett’s charges were dropped.”
This year—less than two weeks before the end of Foxx’s tenure—the Illinois Supreme Court overturned Smollett’s conviction, saying, “We hold that a second prosecution under these circumstances is a due process violation, and we therefore reverse defendant’s conviction.” After a special prosecutor was brought in, a jury found Smollett guilty of five counts of disorderly conduct, and he was sentenced to 30 months of probation, with the first 150 days to be served at Cook County Jail (of which he served six). In 2023, a appellate court panel affirmed the actor’s conviction. Foxx later told various media outlets, including TMZ, that she felt vindicated.
Eileen O’Neill Burke—who had a ceremonial swearing-in on Dec. 2 after an actual one this past weekend—is Foxx’s successor.