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New Criminal Justice Film Series from The Marshall Project Highlights Chicago Witnesses to System’s Injustices

CHICAGO DEFENDER — Harold Washington Library’s Cindy Pritzker Auditorium was a full house at the opening screening of a new local series focusing on injustices in the criminal justice system. On Sept. 12, The Marshall Project released 15 video testimonies of Chicago voices affected by the justice system, “We Are Witnesses: Chicago,” is the latest installment of the nonprofit news organization’s award-winning short film series “We Are Witnesses” which explores the nature of crime, punishment and forgiveness.

Published

6 years ago

September 20, 2019

Oakland Post

By Ariel Parrella-Aureli

Harold Washington Library’s Cindy Pritzker Auditorium was a full house at the opening screening of a new local series focusing on injustices in the criminal justice system. On Sept. 12, The Marshall Project released 15 video testimonies of Chicago voices affected by the justice system, “We Are Witnesses: Chicago,” is the latest installment of the nonprofit news organization’s award-winning short film series “We Are Witnesses” which explores the nature of crime, punishment and forgiveness.

Produced and directed by Maggie Bowman and Stacy Robinson, the series is in partnership with Kartemquin Films and Illinois Humanities, and is part of “Envisioning Justice,” the Humanities’ city-wide initiative to foster a stronger criminal justice conversation through arts.

The opening screening at the downtown auditorium was presented by WBEZ’s criminal justice reporter Shannon Heffernan and showed four of the 15 short videos. A panel discussion with the witnesses, moderated by Carroll Bogert, president of The Marshall Project, followed the screening.

Bogert, a native Chicagoan who had a career in journalism abroad before returning home, shared her hopes that the audience will better understand the flawed criminal justice system by watching these testimonies and, ultimately, support responsible journalism fighting for reform. “By being an audience, you are assisting in understanding these issues better,” Bogart said.

The premiere featured the stories of Carrie Steiner, a former Chicago police officer; Xavier McElrath-Bey, a previously incarcerated teenager; Dr. Nneka Jones Tapia, the former warden of Cook County Jail; and the Pendletons, parents of a slain daughter who received extensive media attentionafter she was murdered almost seven years ago.

Each witness shared their deeply personal and painful experience with the criminal justice system — and how they have worked to heal their wounds and help others.

“I found a voice after Hadiya was murdered, and I discovered a way to draw shape and color to the overall experience,” Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton said. “I took my voice and I try to use it for as many speaking opportunities as possible to try and help people understand what it is like to be subject to a crime such as this.”

McElrath-Bey, who as a young teenager spent 13 years in prison after his role in the killing of Pedro Martinez, was released at 26 years of age and met the Martinez family in 2016. They forgave him and now are friends with McElrath-Bey. Through tears, he told the audience how sorry he was for his actions and that to heal from his past, he needed to work on forgiving himself. But despite forgiveness, he said the hurt will never go away.

“I am sorry you had to go through that and I am sorry I was ever a part of something that caused that harm to someone,” he said to the Martinez family, sitting in the front row. “I am also sorry that we live in a society where people feel like they have to do something like that.”

Though it was difficult for McElrath-Bey to share his emotions and retell his story, the family and a friend in the crowd shouted, “We love you, Xavier.” He now works at the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth, where he is trying to ban life without parole and other extreme sentences for children.

Much of the discussion centered around ways to end the cycle of gun violence and how to help heal from traumatic events by sharing personal stories.

Jones Tapia, who worked at the Cook County Jail from 2006 to 2018, had the difficult job of speaking to men charged for fatal crimes, like the one that took Hadiya Pendleton’s life. That trauma deeply affected her, she said, just as it does police officers, guards and people on the other side of the system.

“You have to find a way to balance the humanity in a system that is built on a lack of humanity,” Jones Tapia said, recalling her time as warden.

A major aspect of that humanity is destigmatizing mental health and the image of police officers, said Steiner, who was a police officer for 13 years and now runs the First Responders Wellness Center. In her testimony, she said that during her time at CPD, 18 officers killed themselves. “In the mental health field, there are so many stigmas about police officers,” she told the audience.

She is working to help first responders be more open about mental health and cope with the trauma they experience. She also wants people to remember that while officers are trained to make critical decisions and protect communities, constant scrutiny and judgment puts pressure on their shoulders. At the end of the day, they are humans too, she said.

To move forward, McElrath-Bey said teens need to be helped and have better resources. Nathaniel Pendleton said that work starts in the neighborhoods.

“A lot of times we blame our politicians for it and we should not,” Nathaniel Pendleton said. “We have to take our neighborhoods ourselves and go back to each one, teach one.”

“We Are Witnesses: Chicago” is partnered with WBEZ, the Chicago Reader and Univision Chicago, which translated the series into Spanish. Throughout the next three months, The Marshall Project, in collaboration with the Chicago Public library, will hold free screenings and discussions in 23 library branches across the city. To see a full list of the showings, visit the library’s website.

This article originally appeared in the Chicago Defender.

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Black Feminist Movement Mobilizes in Response to National Threats

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States.

Published

4 hours ago

May 30, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by the organization Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis. Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.” “This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk—whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.” Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda. “Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.

Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration. “This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.” Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families. “Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because patriarchy harms them too.” She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions. “We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”

The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression. “If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.”

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Hoover’s Commutation Divides Chicago as State Sentence Remains

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial.

Published

1 day ago

May 29, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The federal sentence for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover has been commuted, but he remains incarcerated under a 200-year state sentence in Illinois. The decision by Donald Trump to reduce Hoover’s federal time has reignited longstanding debates over his legacy and whether rehabilitation or continued punishment is warranted. The commutation drew immediate public attention after music executive Jay Prince and artist Chance the Rapper publicly praised Trump’s decision. “I’m glad that Larry Hoover is home,” said Chance the Rapper. “He was a political prisoner set up by the federal government. He created Chicago Votes, mobilized our people, and was targeted for that.”

But Hoover, the founder of the Gangster Disciples, is not home—not yet. Now in federal custody at the Florence Supermax in Colorado, Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial. “There is a divide in the Black community here,” said Chicago journalist Jason Palmer during an appearance on the Let It Be Known morning program. “Some view Hoover as someone who brought structure and leadership. Others remember the violence that came with his organization.” Palmer explained that while Hoover’s gang originally formed for protection, it grew into a criminal network responsible for extensive harm in Chicago. He also noted that Hoover continued to run his organization from state prison using coded messages passed through visitors, prompting his transfer to federal custody.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential contender, has not issued a statement. Palmer suggested that silence is strategic. “Releasing Hoover would create enormous political consequences,” Palmer said. “The governor’s in a difficult spot—he either resists pressure from supporters or risks national backlash if he acts.” According to Palmer, Hoover’s federal commutation does not make him a free man. “The federal sentence may be commuted, but he still has a 200-year state sentence,” he said. “And Illinois officials have already made it clear they don’t want to house him in state facilities again. They prefer he remains in federal custody, just somewhere outside of Colorado.”

Palmer also raised concerns about what Hoover’s case could signal for others. “When R. Kelly was convicted federally, state prosecutors in Illinois and Minnesota dropped their charges. If a president can commute federal sentences based on public pressure or celebrity support, others like R. Kelly or Sean Combs could be next,” Palmer said. “Meanwhile, there are thousands of incarcerated people without fame or access to public platforms who will never get that consideration.” “There are people who are not here today because of the violence connected to these organizations,” Palmer said. “That has to be part of this conversation.”

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WATCH: Five Years After George Floyd: Full Panel Discussion | Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real | Live Podcast Event

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

Published

2 days ago

May 28, 2025

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=OsNLWTz6jU0&feature=oembed

May 25, 2020. The world stopped and watched as a life was taken.

But what has happened since?

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

She shares reflections, insights, and the story of a community forever changed. What has a year truly meant, and where do we go from here?

This is more than just a date; it’s a moment in history. See what one leader in the Black press has to say about it.

Recorded live at UROC in Minneapolis, this powerful discussion features:

Panelists: