>>> COOK COUNTY IS ENDING ITS MERELY FOR YOUR CASE AGAINST DISGRACED R&B SINGER, R. KELLY AND IT ENDS WITH THE CHARGES BASICALLY DROPPED.

THE DECISION COMES AS HE HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR DECADES WITH MORE TO BE ADDED IN ANOTHER SENTENCING NEXT MONTH.

HE HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF A SLEW OF CRIMES IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS INCLUDING CHILD SONOGRAPHY AND SEX TRAFFICKING.

JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THE DECISION IS COOK COUNTY STATES ATTORNEY, KIM FOXX.

WELCOME BACK TO CHICAGO TONIGHT.

A LOT OF THE SAME CHARGES YOU HAD PROSECUTED HIM ON, WHY DROP THIS CASE?

>> WHEN WE STARTED THIS CASE BACK IN FEBRUARY 2019 THE FEDERAL CHARGES HAD NOT BEEN LEVIED.

WE HAD A HOTLINE AND PEOPLE CALLING IN WITH VICTIMS AND WITNESSES.

OUR OFFICE WORKED ON THE INVESTIGATIONS AND RECEIVED THE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY TAPES AND TENDER THAT TO THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

THEN THE SUBSEQUENT CASES CAME.

AS A RESULT MR. KELLY RIGHT NOW IS SERVING SEVEN MONTHS INTO A 30 YEAR SENTENCE ON ONE SET OF CHARGES.

HE WILL BE SENTENCED IN A FEW WEEKS ON THE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CASE HERE IN CHICAGO.

THAT IS A FEDERAL CASE.

ESSENTIALLY MR. KELLY IS LOOKING EVEN BEFORE WE GOT TO THE STATE CASES AT SPENDING THE REST OF HIS LIFE IN PRISON.

AS A RESULT OF THAT WE BELIEVE JUSTICE HAS BEEN SERVED AND OUR RESOURCES ARE BEST SUITED FOR DEALING WITH CASES THAT ARE PENDING IN COOK COUNTY NOW.

>> THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NEXT QUESTION.

YOU WANT TO REDIRECT RESOURCES WHERE THEY ARE NEEDED.

WHAT ARE THOSE AREAS?

>> OUR SEX CRIMES DIVISION, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF CASES RIGHT NOW THAT ARE PENDING AND CERTAINLY WE CAN DO THEM ALL AT THE SAME TIME BUT THE ISSUE IS MR. KELLY IS ALREADY SERVING A 30 YEAR SENTENCE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ADDITIONAL 10-90 YEARS ON TOP OF THAT.

HE WASN'T GOING TO GET ANY ADDITIONAL TIME FROM THE STATE CHARGES.

MANY OF OUR WITNESSES AND VICTIMS WHO WERE GOING TO BE IN OUR CASE HAVE ALREADY TESTIFIED IN FEDERAL CASES.

RIGHT NOW FOR THE CASES PENDING WE DON'T HAVE CELEBRITY DEFENDANTS FOR VICTIMS SEEKING JUSTICE AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THOSE CASES.

>> I WANT TO QUOTE ONE OF THOSE VICTIMS WHO IS INVOLVED IN THE COUNTY IS CASE.

PART OF HER STATEMENT SAID I CAME TO LEARN THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WAS CONSIDERING DISMISSING THESE CASES.

I PLEADED WITH KIM FOXX TO SEE THE CASES THROUGH.

JUSTICE HAS BEEN DENIED A SECOND TIME MAKING TODAY'S DECISION THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO COMPREHEND AND ACCEPT.

I UNDERSTAND THE NOTION THAT KELLY COULDN'T HAVE ANY MORE PUNISHMENT THAN HE HAS BUT WHAT ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR VICTIM AND THE FEELING THAT JUSTICE IS BEING DENIED?

>> I MET WITH MISS CARTER A FEW MONTHS AGO AND SHE CAME FORWARD BACK IN 2003 AND SHARED WHAT HAPPENED TO HER, WENT TO AUTHORITIES AND DID EVERYTHING SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO TO GET JUSTICE AND NOTHING HAPPENED.

SO HERE WE WERE 20 YEARS LATER.

WE ASKED FOR VICTIMS TO COME FORWARD AND SHE DID.

I CAN TOTALLY SYMPATHIZE THAT SHE WANTED HER TO TO GET INTO THE BOX AND POINT TO HIM AND SAY WHAT HE HAD DONE.

THE REALITY IS WE HAVE A MAN WHO IS NOT GOING TO GET ANY ADDITIONAL TIME, WHO IS IN PRISON FOR THE REMAINDER OF HIS LIFE RIGHT NOW WITH THE SENTENCE HE HAS AND THAT SENSE OF THE USE OF OUR RESOURCES FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF SEX CRIMES, IT IS MORE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO STOP WHERE WE ARE NOW, ALLOW HER TO SAY WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HER, BUT WE DON'T BELIEVE WE SHOULD CONTINUE THESE CASES IN A COURT OF LAW.

>> YOU MENTIONED WITH MISS CARTER, IT IS SO HARD TO COME FORWARD.

THERE IS SO MUCH FEAR.

DOES IT SEND THE WRONG MESSAGE TO ASSAULT SURVIVORS?

>> NOT AT ALL.

WHEN I CAME OUT IN 2019 AND ASKED FOR VICTIMS, IT WAS AN UNPRECEDENTED MOVE.

I SHARED THAT I AM A SURVIVOR OF SEX ASSAULT AND I KNOW HOW DIFFICULT THAT IS.

WE GOT HUNDREDS OF CALLS.

MANY OF THOSE CALLS , THOSE VICTIMS AND WITNESSES HAVE TESTIFIED AND COME FORWARD .

WITHOUT THAT, MR. KELLY WOULDN'T BE SEEING THE SENTENCES HE IS TODAY.

SO THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, THE WORK THOSE VICTIMS DID IN COMING FORWARD HAS ALLOWED FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN DEEMED A SEXUAL PREDATOR IN A COURT OF LAW TO NOW BE SERVING SENTENCES FOR HIS ACTIONS.

SO, IT IS NOT DISCOURAGING.

I THINK WE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED BY WHAT THESE VICTIMS HAVE DONE.

>> YOU MENTIONED ALL THE STATE CASES, FEDERAL CASES.

A LOT OF THESE OVERLAP.

YOU HAD VICTIMS COME TO YOU THAT WERE PART OF FEDERAL CASES.

WOULD IT HAVE HELPED IF THE CASES HAVE BEEN CONSOLIDATED IN SOME WAY?

>> I CAN'T SPEAK TO HOW THE FEDERAL U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DECIDED TO GO ABOUT THEIR CHARGES BUT WHEN WE FILED CHARGES IN FEBRUARY 2019 WE HAD THE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY EVIDENCE, WE HAD THE WITNESSES WHO CAME FORWARD AND CERTAINLY THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK DID THEIR OWN INVESTIGATION AND WE WORKED COLLABORATIVELY WITH THEM AND SO DID THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS.

WE WORKED COLLABORATIVELY WITH THEM.

CERTAINLY HAVING THREE JURISDICTIONS AND NOW MINNESOTA ON ANOTHER STATE CASE IS ONEROUS, BUT WE RESPECTED THE PROCESS.

AGAIN, I BELIEVE JUSTICE HAS BEEN SERVED.

>> THERE IS JUSTICE OVERALL.

HE IS SERVING TIME RIGHT NOW.

I WANT TO GET TO ANOTHER TOPIC.

THE CASHLESS BAIL SYSTEM.

IT IS ON HOLD UNTIL MARCH OR APRIL AS THE CASE GOES TO THE ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT.

HOW IS YOUR OFFICE ADJUSTING THAT THE ATTORNEYS STILL HAVE TO GO AND SOMETIMES ARGUE FOR BAIL FOR CASH BONDS?

>> WE WERE PREPARED TO GO FORWARD ON JANUARY 1 AND AS LITIGATION PLAYED OUT, WE WILL WAIT TO SEE WHAT ULTIMATELY HAPPENS BUT OUR OFFICE IS READY TO GO TO A CASHLESS BAIL SYSTEM ON JANUARY 1 AND WE ALSO HAVE BEEN WELL READY FOR YEARS IN THE SYSTEM WE CURRENTLY HAVE.

NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED BUT CERTAINLY WE ARE LOOKING AT THE FACTORS WE WILL BE ASKING FOR FOR SOMEONE TO BE HELD AND TRY TO ADHERE TO THAT SO WHEN IT IS RULED TO BE CONSTITUTIONAL WHICH I AM CONFIDENT IT WILL BE, WE ARE PREPARED AS WELL.

>> CAN YOU FILL VIEWERS IN WHEN ATTORNEYS MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE ADDITIONAL STEPS IN FRONT OF A JUDGE IF SOMEONE IS ACCUSED OF A SERIOUS FELONY TO RECOMMEND NO BOND AT ALL.

HOW WILL THOSE DECISIONS BE MADE?

>> WE LOOK AT THE EXISTING CHARGES SOMEONE HAS AND WHETHER THEY ARE A DANGEROUS PERSON TO THEIR COMMUNITY.

IF THEY ARE OUT ON BOND.

SOME OF THAT MEANS TALKING TO WITNESSES, TALKING TO FOLKS IN PRETRIAL SERVICES TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE CAN BE UTILIZING THOSE SERVICES OR NEEDS TO BE HELD.

THE ADDITIONAL STEPS ARE NOT THAT MUCH MORE ONEROUS OTHER THAN IF WE HAVE A VICTIM WHO WE BELIEVE WE NEED TO TALK TO IMMEDIATELY REGARDING THEIR SAFETY IF SOMEONE IS RELEASED.

WE HAVE STAFF IN PLACE TO DO THAT TO MAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO A JUDGE.

>> SO MUCH HAS BEEN TWEAKED TO THE LAW BUT YOU CAN USE THINGS LIKE FAILURE TO SHOW UP TO COURT HEARINGS PREVIOUSLY AS EVIDENCE THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE RELEASED.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IF SOMEONE HAS A HISTORY OF NOT COMING BACK TO COURT, THE PURPOSE OF BAIL WAS TO ENSURE PEOPLE SHOW UP FOR