Elias Valdez, 2019-2020 Glenbrook Superior Faculty freshman yearbook photo. (Image provided)
As 20-30 protesters called for “Justice for Elias (Valdez)” for the lately murdered 15-year-old from unincorporated Glenview, exterior the Cook County Courthouse in Skokie Sept. 9, Valdez’s mom, Marcela Fierros, was inside attending a standing hearing in the demo of her son’s accused killer with her new attorney.
Fierros’ new lawyer is Edith Rios, initially-technology Mexican-American and former assistant Cook dinner County state’s attorney with a apply in Highland Park, who is getting on the case pro bono.
Rios reiterated what Fierros has reported a lot of occasions in advance of, that Valdez’s accused killer, who Fierros explained as a white 16-year-previous boy from a privileged family, would be at the rear of bars awaiting demo, fairly than at dwelling on digital monitoring if the roles were reversed and Valdez, a Latino, ended up charged with the crime.
“What she (Fierros) means (by “justice”) is equality,” Rios stated. “It’s about how she is familiar with minorities don’t get the similar procedure. If it was him (Valdez as the defendant), he would be at 26th Avenue (Cook County Jail).”
“We requested the court docket to hold the small in custody. The court docket exclusively determines custodial position and denied our request. Around our objection, the court docket ordered the minimal be unveiled on digital checking,” Tandra R. Simonton, Prepare dinner County State’s Attorney’s place of work main communications officer stated. “We are not able to further remark as the scenario is pending litigation.”
A crowd of about 60 demonstrators camp out in entrance of the Glenview Municipal Heart, which also residences the police station, at a protest previous thirty day period demanding justice for slain 15-year-outdated Elias Valdez, who would have been a GBS sophomore this college calendar year. (Tom Robb/Journal image)
Another “Justice for Elias” protest is staying planned at the Cook County Constructing at 69 W. Washington St. in Chicago where Cook dinner County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx has her business office. That prepared demonstration would be the fourth, but a day has still to be identified. Two prior demonstrations were held outdoors the Glenview law enforcement station and the the latest 1 outside the courthouse in Skokie.
Valdez was reportedly observed Aug. 5 by a passerby stabbed in the upper body in a grassy area in the 1200 block of Greenwood Rd. in Glenview. He was rushed to Advocate Lutheran Medical center in Park Ridge the place he died in surgical procedures.
Following an investigation by Glenview police and an location law enforcement key crimes endeavor power, a 16-yr-old male reportedly turned himself in to police Aug. 17. That teen was later on charged with next-diploma murder. A choose in the scenario then placed the teenager on residence electronic monitoring, alternatively than owning him stay at the Cook dinner County Juvenile Detention Heart.
Rios said that right before her consumer experienced illustration, she was under no circumstances presented the opportunity to give a victim’s effect statement and said the only conversation she had with any one from the Cook dinner County State’s Attorney’s office environment was immediately after the 16-year-old’s first court overall look past thirty day period when she was only instructed when the future court docket date would be.
Legally, Rios mentioned the defendant need to have been billed with to start with-diploma murder. She mentioned the claim of self-protection, and 2nd-diploma murder charge should really be offered as an selection to a jury by the protection just after arguments have been made.
Rios mentioned defense lawyers in the circumstance tried using to have her excluded when she submitted an look at the Skokie courthouse Sept. 9, but stated the choose in the circumstance overruled. She mentioned she now has accessibility to discovery, which means all documents shared between prosecutor and defense attorneys will be shared with her as well. She was scheduled to meet with prosecutors Friday, Sept. 11. The following scheduled court day is Nov. 4, where by the defense would present motions.
Rios said she uncovered about the scenario driving previous a single of the protests in entrance of the Glenview police station. She mentioned she was moved to present her providers cost-free of charge to the household.
“The primary cause I’m carrying out this is to make up for the injustices I did as section of the wheel (of the equipment of the state’s attorney’s business office),” Rios reported. “I’m just making an attempt to do this a single point (for Valdez’s relatives).”
She mentioned in the course of her tenure as an assistant state’s legal professional, she taken care of all defendants similarly. “I was really honest,” Rios reported of her times as a prosecutor. “Nobody will get a split.”
Rios explained she skilled racism in the state’s attorney’s workplace and all-around the courts, normally made use of only as an interpreter. At the time, even though in a individual line entering an immigration court docket for lawyers, Rios mentioned a attorney ahead of her in line explained to her in Spanish, “This is the attorney’s line.” Rios reported she responded in English, “I am an legal professional.”
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