>> Hello and thanks for joining us on Chicago tonight on Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

A jury weighs whether the Chicago Police Department is liable for 13 year-old Adam Toledo's death 5 years after his killing.

>> This wind belongs to all of us.

>> One on one with the Democratic nominee for U.S.

Senate Julianna Stratton as she gears up for November's general election.

One of things that is in some part about having a doula is seeing someone who who looks like you.

>> And a free doula program launches on the city's south side.

>> First off tonight in Illinois, law restricting guns on public transit will stand.

That's after the U.S.

Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to the state law that bars concealed carry permit holders from bringing loaded guns on public transportation.

In a statement, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs says they are, quote, very disappointed by the court's decision, especially since law abiding public transportation riders in Illinois are less safe as a result of the law.

They go on to say that they will continue to fight in the courts as well as the legislative and political arenas.

But Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill, Burke's office supported today's decision saying, quote, Minimizing the risk from dangerous weapons is crucial to protect members of the public who use this vital public resource.

The push to ban police from serving, quote, no-knock warrants resumes in the Illinois legislature, activist and victim of a wrongful police raid.

Anjanette Young is calling for lawmakers to pass House Bill 1611, dubbed the engine that young act.

>> It's not just the bill is a necessary step step forward.

Tourist rebuilding, trust, setting clear standards in ensuring that what happened to Maine and so many others doesn't continue to go unchecked.

This bill creates structure that has been inconsistent.

It sets expectations around transparency, identification and responsible kind that.

>> Police depart the bill would impose new limits on how when and why police departments across the state can execute search warrants.

It would ban so-called no-knock warrants in all but urgent circumstances such as when the safety of officers or others is threatened, it would also require officers to wait at least 30 seconds before entering a home with a search warrant.

If they don't receive an immediate response back in 2019 young was in her home and in the process of changing clothes.

When Chicago police burst into her apartment looking for someone who did not live there, the proposed legislation passed out of committee in March 2025.

But failed to advance in both the Illinois House and Senate.

A few dates to put on your calendar.

If you've been patiently waiting to visit the much anticipated Obama presidential center tickets for the general public go on sale on May 6th founding members or those who make regular donations to the foundation.

Get earlier access on April.

21st Illinois residents will pay a discounted $26 for adults and $15 for children 3 to 11 years old kids under 3.

They're free.

It is all to get a look at a full-scale replica of President Barack Obama's Oval Office exhibits featuring the achievements of the Obama administration as well as challenges that remain.

And in exhibit a former first lady, Michelle Obama's fashion while admission is charged for museum entry.

The center's broader campuses free, including gardens playground and a Chicago public library branch.

couple of big moves today for Chicago's basketball teams.

Let's start with the Bulls who are cleaning house.

The organization today fired its top 2 basketball executives.

Vice president of basketball operations are tourist harness.

of us and general manager Marc Eversley.

The Bulls have lost 7 games in a row, including this 40 point blowout loss in New York last Friday.

And they are currently in 12th Place in the Eastern Conference.

The team is missed the playoffs in 5 of the 6 years that Karnisovas and Eversley have been in charge.

Hall of Fame coach Billy Donovan remains with the team, at least for now the team's season ends Sunday in Dallas.

Meanwhile, Chicago sky superstar Angel Reese is heading to Atlanta.

The team traded the two-time WNBA All-Star in exchange for Atlanta's first-round picks in 2027 2028, the 6 foot 3 forward averaged more than 14 points in nearly 13 rebounds in her 2 seasons with the sky and finished as runner-up for Rookie of the Year in 2024, she was the number 7 overall pick Chicago in the 2024 WNBA draft after leading Louisiana state to the 2023 national championship.

The sky tied for the worst record in the WNBA last season.

The 2026 season begins May 9th.

After years of delays, a lawsuit filed by the family of slain 13 year-old Adam Toledo is now set for trial or head to Sharon has that story right after this.

>> Chicago tonight is made possible in part why the Alexander and John Nichols family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation.

And the support of these donors.

>> A high stakes trial began today to determine whether the Chicago Police Department is liable for the death of Adam Toledo.

The 13 year-old boy was shot and killed by a police officer after a brief foot chase in March 2021. or Heather Sharon joins us with the latest on this long-delayed trial.

Heather, remind us what happened in Little Village in those early morning hours of March, 29th 2021.

>> Well, the city's gunshot detection system sent Officer Eric Stillman and his partner to an alley where they discovered a 21 year-old man and 13 year-old Adam Toledo.

They detained the 21 year-old and Adam took off.

Officer Stillman gave Chase and just a few minutes less than a minute later, Adam appeared to drop the gun he was carrying and turned toward offer.

Still Salman, who shot him once in the chest.

>> The lawsuit was brought by Adams parents.

Marco Elizabeth, what will this trial decide?

Well, they are going to argue to the jury that Adam's death was avoidable and intentional.

>> They say that the city knew that foot chases incredibly dangerous and that the city failed to develop a policy even after the federal government investigated CPD and urged the department to set new parameters about when officers could chase people on foot.

And for what reasons because they didn't do that.

That led to Adam's death.

So with the trial began today at the Daley Center.

But it got off to a slow start.

After more than 4 years of delays.

As we mentioned, it's been just over 5 years since Adams death.

>> What's next?

Well, the lawyers are going to spend the rest of this week arguing the promotions to determine what exactly jury can and can't hear.

There are more than 90 witnesses on this list for this trial.

So it could take a long time.

>> Jury selection is expected to start on April 13th and opening statements, at least for now are set for April 20. lot of eyes on that trial ensure.

Heather, Thank you so much.

Thanks.

Brandis.

And you can read his full story on our website.

It is all at W T Tw Dot com slash news.

Next.

Julia Stratton is here to talk about her campaign for U.S.

Senate.

With tenant.

Governor Juliana Stratton beat out 10 other candidates in last month's primary election to become the Democratic nominee for U.S.

Senate pushing her closer to taking over longtime Senator Durbin seat.

She's facing the former Illinois Republican Party Chairman John Tracy in the November general election.

Tracy appeared on this program here last week.

If she wins, Stratton will be the 6th black woman to serve as the U.S.

Senator as a U.S.

senator and the second from Illinois.

Joining us now is Julianna Stratton, the Democratic nominee for U.S.

Senate Illinois.

Welcome back.

Thank you for joining us.

Thank you for having congrats on winning your primary.

Thank you.

You build yourself as the fighter.

Someone who can stand up to Donald Trump and his administration.

What do you think that message resonated with voters?

Because that's what Illinois voters are looking for.

That's what I heard every single day on the campaign trail that >> people were frustrated with what was happening in Washington.

They felt that there was too much of a sort of go along to get along mentality and what I heard from people when I asked what they were looking for in their next United States senator is I'm looking for someone who will go to the mat fighting for me who will stand up and hold this president accountable as we're watching him, systematically attempt to dismantle our democracy.

So this is the message that has resonated.

It broke through with voters.

And and I'm proud that they heard what I had to say.

And they know that I'll be fighter for them in Washington.

President Trump today held a news conference on the latest from the war in Iran.

Here's what he had to say about the conflicts status.

>> Now we'll see what happens.

I can tell you they're negotiating.

We think in good faith.

We're going to find out when giving them a we've given them to tomorrow.

8 o'clock Eastern Time.

And after that.

They can have no bridges.

They could have no power plants.

Stone Age's.

>> Last month the Senate rejected the option to limit to the president's war powers.

What do you think the next steps for lawmakers in Congress should look like?

>> Well, I mean, first of all, we're looking at a president who many Americans woke up in the middle of the or in the morning to see that he had tweeted out in the middle of the night are posted in the middle of the night that act of war.

And he did so without any plan without any clarity around why he was doing so.

And look what we're seeing right now and we're seeing the American people having to foot the bill.

He wants more money for We even see is request for one point 5 trillion dollars and military budget.

And this is not what anyone asked for and we need to make sure that we are holding again this president accountable.

People are asking for health care.

People want their grocery prices to go down.

And that's what this president campaigned on.

And he's doing the exact opposite.

So we need to make sure we are holding him accountable, that we are making sure that we're, you know, asking the right questions and being a check on this president.

And that's exactly what I want to go to Washington.

You mentioned health care and of course, we know you support Medicare for all and some reforms to the Affordable Care Act versus dismantling it wholesale, which is >> GOP proposes.

How will you work to preserve health care for Illinoisans amid federal it to many programs?

>> Well, when I launched my campaign for United States Senate, it was at a time that Donald Trump and his administration was stripping away health care for millions of Americans.

And a lot of people know the story that I ran for office in the first place 10 years ago when I ran for state representative because I was the caregiver.

The primary caregiver for my mother.

She had Alzheimer's and there were efforts to strip away healthcare at the state level by a previous governor and state representative at the time.

So health care has always been a priority for me.

It's something that I'm going to fight for.

I believe that we need to pass Medicare for all.

I believe everyone who needs a doctor should be able to get access to one.

And we're certainly seeing in our rural communities, for example, where potentially 9 safety net hospitals could close critical access hospitals.

So this is a crisis and I'm going to fight for health care because I believe it's a right, not a privilege.

How do you think you can get that accomplished in a Congress?

That is right now very divided us will.

Let tell you one of the things that I heard on the campaign trail that people are frustrated with, they've they're frustrated by this notion that because things are hard to do that.

We shouldn't try to do them that it seems like in Washington it almost gets to a place where people say, well, we have to lower our expectations about what we fight for.

What?

I don't think that it's too big of an expectation to assume that everyone should have access to health care, affordable, quality access to health care.

So I'm going to, you know, number one work with people who see the have the political will to fight.

And we know that they're already some who are fighting for Medicare for all.

I will join those efforts and I will be a real voice to push for that.

And I think one of the things isn't an example of that is my not taking any corporate PAC money in this race because I'm not going to be beholden to those in medical industry and health care industry who don't want to see how a Medicare for all.

As we mentioned, your opponent, Don Tracy, the now Republican nominee.

He joined the show last week where he had this to say about your approach.

>> Their health care approach, which is government run health insurance.

That's what my opponent supports, which which is go will cost trillions of dollars that that's a result.

Health care inflation running at 3 to 4 times regular inflation, in contrast for like health care, you know, we believe in more market competition, more price transparency, more consumer choice and better abroad.

Drug price negotiation.

>> The U.S.

government afford a policy approach like the one that you support and what do you think it's the right thing to do?

Well, look at what we've done here in Illinois.

We have expanded access to health care.

We've made health care more affordable.

We've lowered the cost of prescription drugs.

>> We've eliminated over 1 billion dollars in medical debt.

And I personally led the birth equity initiative to make sure that we address the book Maternal Mortality Crisis.

We have to prioritize and make sure that our priorities reflect what our values are.

My value is that people have access to health care.

We have to find a way to do it.

And we have to look at what this president currently is doing and the kinds of things that he wants to fund that is not about giving people access to health care, but he wants to drag us into another war.

So I think that this is an example of when people want to find money and have the political will for what they want, then they do it and we now need to make sure that as Democrats that we step up and I will certainly be one of those leaders to make health care that priority.

The partial DHS that shut down its now surpassed 50 days.

>> What ideally would you like to see as a resolution to this?

>> Well, as you know, I want to abolish ICE and I believe that's the case.

And therefore, I would not vote to add one more dime to that budget to fund ice.

But look there at a standstill and Democrats have held firm and they've said that there's some demands that we're making.

And I believe that they should hold firm and make sure that they're not continuing to fund ICE or CBP and making sure that we do get the funding for TSA, FEMA and the things that people need that has not been something that the Republicans have demonstrated that has been a priority for them.

We've seen them sort of slow walking this agreement, but they need to get to a point.

And now the ball is in the Republicans court.

They're the ones that are holding up funding for TSA, for FEMA, for federal workers and they need to call Speaker Johnson needs to call session back and I get this boat over the line.

Finish line.

>> You've also campaigned on raising the federal minimum wage up to $25 an hour.

It is currently at $7 and $0.25 where it has sat since 2009.

That's another thing.

How do you plan on making that happen in in a very divided Congress when the GOP your your would-be peers on the other side of the aisle or post a number that high?

>> Well, let's just start by thinking about someone trying to take care of themselves or their families at $7.25 an hour.

I mean, it's not possible.

And I don't think that anyone would say that's the kind of salary that I want for my children or for my family.

So we have to do something different.

It has not changed.

As you noted since 2009 we are in 2020.

26 and people deserve to not have just the bare minimum.

They deserve to have a livable wage.

And so I will do what I did when I got to the Illinois House of Representatives.

You know, I got to the Illinois House and I'm a Democrat, but I got 10 bills passed and that one term that I served, all of them were passed on a bipartisan basis.

Most of them passed unanimously because you to listen to the community work.

The bill educate others on why it's important.

And I'm telling you, even people who are not a part of this Democratic primary who maybe didn't even support me in the primary.

I want to represent them to.

I want everyone across Illinois to make a livable wage.

And I'm going to fight for that.

When I get to Washington should a 17 year-old whose maybe working their first job maybe doesn't >> A family to support.

Should they earn the same wage as a 40 something who does have a family to support and has years of work?

Experience will it'll be the same as any bill that gets past?

I mean, you're going to negotiate.

You're going to look at what's possible.

But what we cannot do is just help people that it's OK to for them to have to work 2, 3, jobs to try to just make ends meet $7.25 even in Illinois.

I'm proud of our work to raise it to $15 an hour.

That's $31,200 a year.

So they're people that deserve, I believe, working families that we have to stand up for to make sure that they can put money in their pocket, save a little, spend a little in our small businesses and the way that we will do this is by bringing all of the stakeholders to the table, making sure we're saying, OK, well, what what is most important?

How can we make this work?

Just like any piece of legislation, but what's not okay is saying that it's OK for people to just.

Barely make ends meet or have to work the 2, 3, jobs just to help feed their children.

It's not OK.

If your elected this would be the first time in history were 3 black women are serving in the upper chamber.

At the same time, there have only been 6 in history.

I think you would be the 6th if you are to get elected to 5 in history.

>> What does that mean to you?

means our voices at the tables where decisions are being made have always said that.

>> As black women, we don't.

You know, as we think about the work that's being done in this country and the important roles that we've made and moving our democracy forward that we don't want policy to just be made for us.

But by us and with us, I think it's a real opportunity to say, you know what, our voices are here at the table that we are force.

And we're we're here to make sure that we're getting things done.

Not just for our own community, but for everyone, but we want to make sure that the voices of black women are part of the decision-making process.

candidate for Democratic nominee for U.S.

Senate.

Julianna Stratton, thank you for joining us.

Best of luck on the campaign trail.

Thank you for having me.

And we did speak with Republican candidate for Senate Don Tracy last week on this program.

If you miss that, you can watch it on our website at W T Tw Dot com Slash news.

>> Up next, a look at a southside program that's helping expectant mothers.

>> Black >> mothers die from pregnancy-related causes at higher rates than white women.

new doula program on Chicago's South Side is working to fight that disparity are.

Joanna Hernandez tells us more about the initiative.

For many mother's pregnancy can come with fear and uncertainty, especially they're facing a high-risk pregnancy.

has been my entire pregnancy.

Very scared because >> they had told me like, you know, not to get pregnant because with me having graves and they've highways.

>> It could result in miscarriage or stillbirth.

>> Tara Proctor says she spent months worried her autoimmune disorder called Graves Disease could put her baby at risk.

That's when her doctor referred her to a free doula program for support.

>> I was 30 Sounds like I would like to So I told a lie if possible.

I would like to, you know, of course, work with the black on Christmas Day, she welcomed her healthy daughter, Nadia Layla, Joy through C section.

She was there when it came thing and yes, it was there and she my sister.

>> They gathered Tristan, they fed her.

It took some pictures.

So I had pictured the things you know to look because, of course.

>> So had a >> The initiative is a partnership between Southside Healthy Community Organization in Chicago.

Bertha Works Collective.

It provides free doula services to 80 women without insurance or Medicaid.

On the South side.

>> You know, having to be able access the doula services free of charge.

I think it's really great because that could be a barrier for some of the mothers who want to live services with the kind of for the services.

>> The program offers prenatal and postpartum visits birth preparation in labor support.

>> I always describe doulas or in my do the work that I am.

The eyes and the ears for during your pregnancy, your birth and your postpartum.

The support comes at a critical time data shows black women in Illinois are 3 times more likely than white women to die from pregnancy-related medical conditions.

>> With many deaths occurring weeks after delivery.

>> And the black community is been said like all you got it, you got grandma but sometimes wore my auntie, got their own things going on or, you know, other kids and things like that.

So sometimes you need a middleman.

>> Advocates say programs like these can be lifesaving as maternity care continues to disappear from parts of the South side.

>> I come across a lot of mothers, not just older mothers young mothers who have no idea on how the birth.

>> So sever hospitals on the South side have closed their maternity care units forcing many women to travel further for care.

>> It's very devastating because you have to go too far.

Some others will have to go too far.

So you get those when they should be able to get them in the community that they live and, you know, feel like from others like T era, having extra support close to home.

>> mean, all the difference, ACA call her a text or anytime be like feeling is what should I do?

It should be light is a case here.

That's Beyond individual support.

Joint Thomas says programs like this park, a larger conversation about access and resources seeing someone who looks like you who may have lived experiences, you can relate to you called for she took our net.

That's like a camel part the these programs to be spread throughout the hospital so that the the doctors know that they have actions because doulas our support system to our medical providers for Chicago tonight, I'm Joanna Hernandez.

Who doesn't love a good baby families interested in enrolling in the program can visit our website for more information.

>> And we're back with some stunning images from Jackson Park right after this.

>> Reflecting the people and perspectives that make up our communities.

This story is part of Chicago tonight.

Black voices.

>> And that's our show for this Monday night.

Join us tomorrow night at 5, 30 10 and explore the natural world around you by signing up for our free email newsletter, Urban Nature that's at W T Tw Dot Com Slash newsletter.

And speaking of the natural world, we leave you tonight with Jackson Park's famous cherry blossom trees that are just beginning to bloom.

Now for all of us here at Chicago Brandis Friedman, thanks for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good night.

>> Oppose cap.

She's made possible by Robert a cliff and Clifford law offices, Chicago, personal injury and wrongful death from that is a multi-lingual law firm