Ex-Chicago alder accused of taking bribes is unfit for trial, judge says
Former Chicago Ald. Carrie Austin ruled unfit to stand trial
A former Chicago City Council member who was charged with conspiracy, bribery, and lying to the FBI was deemed medically unfit for trial by a federal judge on Wednesday.
CHICAGO - A former Chicago City Council member who was charged with conspiracy, bribery, and lying to the FBI was deemed medically unfit for trial by a federal judge on Wednesday.
Carrie Austin, who sat on the council for nearly 30 years before resigning in 2023, pleaded not guilty to the charges and asked the judge to postpone a trial because of her serious health problems.
What we know:
Austin was accused of accepting home improvement bribes, including new kitchen cabinets and granite countertops, from a developer who wanted help navigating a project through city government bureaucracy. She was also accused of lying to FBI agents who wanted to question her about the alleged perks.
Her attorneys said that Austin, 76, had serious health problems, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), various heart ailments, and cancer. They asked that the trial, initially scheduled for November 2025, be postponed indefinitely.
In December 2021, Austin collapsed and became unresponsive during a City Council meeting because of her lung conditions, which led her to be rushed to the hospital, according to court documents.
Former Chicago Ald. Carrie Austin (34th Ward)
Austin’s doctors advised her to rest, avoid stress, and use portable oxygen daily because of her conditions. She struggled to walk even short distances or participate in meetings for more than a few hours.
In 2023, federal prosecutors tried to refute her claims of being medically unfit after surveillance of Austin revealed she was seen walking in and out of a salon without any help.
But after consulting multiple doctors, Judge John Kness wrote in his ruling that a trial would cause an adverse effect on Austin’s health.
"Merely the act of showering or walking from room to room in her house is strenuous for the Defendant, so there is no doubt that traveling to and from the courthouse, sitting in trial all day, and traveling to meet with her attorneys at night, even with the aid of a scooter, will have an ‘adverse effect’ on her health compared to resting at home as she currently does most of the time," Kness wrote.
He added that her conditions make it difficult for Austin to meet with her attorneys and participate in her own defense during the trial.