West Cook News

Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison criticized the criminal justice system after police say a man on bail tried to murder his girlfriend.

"Our criminal justice system keeps putting these violent offenders back into the community. Unacceptable!" Morrison posted on Facebook.

A Chicago man on bail for a felony gun case is now facing an attempted murder charge for allegedly beating his girlfriend with a baseball bat and choking her, CWB Chicago reported. The woman told police that the man, with whom she shares two children, hit her repeatedly with a baseball bat and choked her before she climbed out a window to escape. She told police that she believed the man was going to kill her and that he told her "It's over with. We’re both going to die today.” The man had been arrested ten previous times since 2015, but aside from a 2021 felony gun conviction and a 2019 domestic violence conviction involving the same woman, he has no other criminal convictions. The man is being held on a $25,000 bail but will be on electronic monitoring if he makes bail.

The man is one of 46 people accused of killing, shooting, or attempting to kill someone while awaiting a felony trial in Chicago this year, according to CWB. The 46 people have allegedly committed crimes involving at least 84 victims, 21 of whom have been killed.

Morrison won 57.2% of the GOP vote in the June 28 primary election for the Cook County Board, defeating challenger Elizabeth "Liz" Doody Gorman, the Daily Herald reported. Morrison will face Democrat Daniel T. Calandriello in the general election.

Morrison is one of 17 Cook County commissioners who make up the Board of Commissioners, which is headed by Democrat Toni Preckwinkle. Morrison represents the 17th district, which is home to around 300,000 residents.