Beginning May 20, NBC 5 Chicago & Telemundo Chicago will deliver a new, unprecedented series – “Dismissed” / “Buscando Justicia” – uncovering the startling details behind a six-month investigation on the minimal number of sexual assault arrests and convictions in the City of Chicago over the past six years.
The three-part series will air on NBC 5 News & Noticiero Telemundo Chicago at 10 p.m. on May 20-22.
NBC 5 Investigates reporter Bennett Haeberle, along with Telemundo Investiga reporter Jorge DeSantiago, examined the details of every sexual assault case reported to the Chicago Police Department over the last six years (over 21,000 from 2018 to 2023), uncovering the following facts:
- In most cases, reported sex crimes never lead to an actual arrest.
- Of the 21,000 reports, police made fewer than 1,600 arrests (approx. 7%).
- Of the 1,600 arrests, hundreds of those cases were dismissed before they ever made it to court.
- Of the few offenders who are convicted, nearly half [49%] walk out of court with no prison sentence or are convicted of a lesser charge such as battery or disorderly conduct.
Upcoming “Dismissed” / “Buscando Justicia” segments on NBC 5 Chicago & Telemundo Chicago also explain how sexual crimes are never reported due to witnesses being fearful of coming forward, which often leads to life-altering trauma; questions over evidence; and prosecutors who use a subjective scale to determine if they think they can win.
“This is a difficult, but important series for viewers to watch,” said Sally Ramirez, Senior Vice President of News, NBC Chicago/Telemundo Chicago. “We are giving the victims a platform to tell their stories publicly for the first time. Bennett, Jorge and our dedicated Investigates / Investiga team spent months gathering the disturbing data, which we are hoping will shine a light and create awareness for the critical changes that need to take place to help protect future victims moving forward.”
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In addition to candid interviews with assault victims and survivors, “Dismissed” / “Buscando Justicia” segments also feature discussions with former Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, a Northwestern University law professor, along with advocates for assault victims who continue their fight to secure additional resources and, most importantly, justice.
Please note the following segment details on the upcoming NBC 5 News / Noticiero Telemundo Chicago “Dismissed” / “Buscando Justicia” series airing at 10 p.m. May 20 through May 22 on NBC 5 Chicago & Telemundo Chicago:
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MONDAY, MAY 20
Part I: Bennett Haeberle unveils the complete details surrounding the six-month investigation and speaks with an assault survivor whose experience mirrors that of countless other victims.
TUESDAY, MAY 21
Part II: This segment shares the story of another survivor which reveals a racial disparity among victims and examines what one expert calls a “credibility discount” that complicates numerous other cases.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 22
Part III: The final segment looks at how Chicago’s dismissal conviction rate compares to other select U.S. cities and examines potential conviction solutions in conversations with victim advocates.
Following every “Dismissed / “Buscando Justicia” segment, NBC 5 Chicago (NBCChicago.com) & Telemundo Chicago (TelemundoChicago.com) will provide informational resources to aid sexual assault victims and survivors, along with action steps viewers can take to establish justice for all victims.
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR VIEWERS: In addition to traditional cable/satellite viewing options, viewers can also watch NBC 5 News 10pm on the NBC Chicago News 24/7 live streaming channel on Roku, Peacock, Samsung TV Plus, Xumo Play and Amazon Fire TV. Viewers can also watch NBC 5 News on NBCChicago.com and the NBC Chicago app.
