Felony Charges for 13-Year-Old Who Recorded His Conversation with School Admins

Where I grew up, you'd get detention/expelled, in the US you get charged with a crime and an actual police officer will put handcuffs on little kids, little kids will go to court, and get a criminal record until 21.

The whole criminal justice system in the US is incredibly unusual from the perspective of an outsider.

For example, you literally put innocent people into a situation where they need to plead guilty for a shorter time in jail or to save money. Such as traffic courts where the ticket is less than the "court costs" (if you fight it). Or a plea deal of time served (Vs. spending longer in jail awaiting trial).

No, that's not anti-American hyperbole. It's just Illinois history.

The law was created by crooked politicians to protect crooked cops, politicians, and their cronies.

Corruption is a way of life in Illinois, and especially Chicago. It's ingrained in the system. There are dozens and dozens of books about it, and the reason that so many of last century's major journalists came out of Chicago.

Whenever I hear people from New York or Los Angeles or pretty much any other American city moan about their politicians being corrupt, I laugh to myself and think, "amateurs."

Even after the IL state govt made it finally legal to record a conversation with other public officials (like cops)?

So much for public transparency with local tax dollars that go to schools.

Good article.

I remember students getting into fights and being sent to detention or in-school suspension together and afterwards things being fine, now schools are calling the police and students are being put in jail, sometimes never to return to school.

Anyways, I can't see him ever being convicted of this...but I hope the ACLU or somebody will help him get decent legal representation...this could go pretty high on appeal eventually.