WBEZ 91.5 Chicago

The family of a man who allegedly committed suicide while in police custody is suing the city of Chicago for wrongful death.On Nov. 17, Develt Bradford was found hanging while detained at Area 2 of the Chicago Police Department.

Tony Rezko, a key player in the corruption that took place under former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years in prison. After court Tuesday, U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said he could not think of another sentence that was that harsh for a public corruption case.

First of a five-part seriesNo statistic in education is more damning than the nation's dropout rate. Almost 4 million students start ninth grade every year. One in four won't graduate.About half of those who drop out every year are black.

About an hour west of Chicago is the youth prison in St. Charles.  The 125-acre campus is just one of a handful of facilities in Illinois where young men and boys are sent to be reformed.

Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Maurice Possley worked as an investigative reporter for nearly 25 years for the Chicago Tribune. As a federal courts reporter and then as a deputy metropolitan editor, he unearthed great misconduct and wrongful convictions.