Tag: Crime

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Harlington Wood Jr.: A Life in Law

Throughout the month of October, our focus is on crime in Illinois history. Follow along here and on our social media to learn more about the crimes, cases, and trials that have left their mark on Illinois. 

Harlington Wood Jr. (1920-2008) was a federal judge and former Justice Department official with a prolific career in Illinois government. Wood served as U.S. Attorney, then U.S. District Judge, for the Southern District of Illinois. He went on to the U.S. Department of Justice as Associate Deputy Attorney General from 1969-1972 and then served as Assistant Attorney General from 1972-1973. From 1976-2003, Wood served in an appointment as a U.S.… Read More

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Joseph Smith: The Murder of the Mormon Prophet and Subsequent Trial

Throughout the month of October, our focus is on crime in Illinois history. Follow along here and on our social media to learn more about the crimes, cases, and trials that have left their mark on Illinois. 

In 1839, Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, led the Mormons to Illinois after their expulsion from Missouri. As Smith and his followers established a settlement at Nauvoo, many Illinoisans feared that the group’s religious authority had extended too far into politics. The huge wave of immigration to Nauvoo had created a massive voting bloc with the power to turn the tide of elections.… Read More