Federal lawsuit claims Cook County prosecutors routinely jail witnesses ahead of trial

COOK COUNTY, Ill. - A federal lawsuit claims Cook County prosecutors have routinely jailed witnesses ahead of trial. 

According to the suit, there is a pattern of witnesses being served subpoenas to meet with prosecutors at their offices on dates when there are no hearings in the case scheduled in open court — a practice that, while often signed off on by Cook County judges, is illegal. 

The federal lawsuit was filed by a 20-year-old witness who was jailed for more than a month.

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A spokeswoman for State's Attorney Kim Foxx says the office could not comment on pending litigation.