Temporary court in Chicago used for DNC-related arrests
CHICAGO (CBS) —There are more details about what happened to the people arrested during the DNC protests Monday as police arrested a total of 13 people, including 10 after the fence breach near the United Center.
Several were booked on several charges ranging from aggravated battery of police officers to trespassing and resisting and obstructing, and there's now a temporary court just to hear these cases.
Behind the gates and inside the police department is a courtroom that hasn't been used since 2019. That changed after Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans reopened it to handle arrests made during the DNC.
"They asked if I would consider opening up a separate facility that could be used specifically for coordinated multiple arrests," Evans said.
Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies asked Judge Evans to create a temporary courtroom at Belmont and Western. On Monday night, some of those arrested for tearing down fences by the United Center appeared before a judge.
"We want people who have been arrested under those circumstances that I'm describing to you will be able to process logically, efficiently, effectively and to do so quickly and as fairly as we possibly organize it," Evans said.
More than 50 judges who normally would be assigned to the pretrial and criminal division at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse are now assigned to the temporary courtroom in stages.
Some will work from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., while others work from 4 p.m. to midnight.
"So as not to burn people out, we are rotating judges in and out at Belmont and Western that way," Evans said.
Many court employees are working remotely this week. This is the Administrative Order that went into effect last Wednesday.
It said employees at the Daley Center, Cook County Administration Building, Domestic Violence Courthouse, and Cook County Juvenile Center will work remotely for safety reasons.
"We just didn't want to unnecessarily expose people to possible danger," Evans said.