Judges Matter | Dump Matt Coghlan PSA

The Coalition to Dump Matt Coghlan is network of organizations and individuals pushing to unseat the Cook County Circuit in Chicago, Illinois. This November we have the opportunity to make history. It has been 28 years since the last time a judge was voted off the bench in Cook County. Since 1990, judges have coasted to election whether they are truly unbiased or even competent. Judges have an incredible amount of power over our lives. They can jail people pre-trial, set sentences, rule in child custody, power of attorney, and landlord-tenant cases. They also have the power to enact meaningful criminal justice reform such as the elimination of money bail which unfairly targets low income defendants.

While many of the judges on the ballot are problematic, the Coalition is targeting Judge Matthew Coghlan because of his long history of corruption and biased sentencing. He is unfit to sit on the bench. With this in mind, We are asking you to help us make history and VOTE NO on Judge Matthew Coghlan.

It has recently come to light that former Assistant State’s Attorney and current Judge Matthew Coghlan participated in the framing of two innocent men, Armando Serrano and Jose Montanez. Coghlan helped coerce a witness then arranged payments of cash, drugs, and illegal conjugal visits. When confronted with this information, Judge Coghlan attempted to deny involvement but was caught in a lie by Sun-Times reporters. Wrongful convictions have cost Illinois hundreds of millions of dollars and we must hold those responsible accountable. As a judge, Coghlan has continued to target the vulnerable and shield the powerful. Coghlan sentenced a police officer to only one year’s probation for smashing a woman’s head into a bench. The impact had such force that she needed facial reconstructive surgery, Coghlan could have given him up to 5 years in prison. Shortly after, Coghlan sentenced a Black man with prison time for possession of a marijuana joint on his front porch because he happened to live within 1000 feet of a school. These two decisions, coming within a month of one another show just how much power and discretion judges have. And Coghlan is not using that power to dole out true justice.

VOTE NO ON JUDGE MATT COGHLAN

Early Voting starts September 27th, 2018

Election Day is November 6th, 2018

#DumpCoghlan #JudgesMatter

JudgesMatter.net | IG/T: @judges_matter

FB: Coalition-to-Dump-Matt-Coghlan-2065731350345245/

Email: [email protected]

DONATE: JudgesMatter.net/Donate

SoapBox Productions and Organizing

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Interviewees: Armando Serrano and Jose Montanez

Written and Directed by Caullen Hudson

Produced by Caullen Hudson and David A. Moran

Judicial Accountability PAC Associates Ben Carbery and Christina Pillsbury

Cinematography by Dakota Sillyman

Drone Photography by Ben Jassin

Edited by Thomas P. Clune

Music by Thomas P. Clune and Epidemic Sound

Production Sound by David A. Moran

Big thanks to the Coalition to Dump Matt Coghlan, the Judicial Accountability PAC, and everyone who has been involved in this campaign and amplified why judges matter!

PAID FOR BY THE JUDICIAL ACCOUNTABILITY PAC.