Overview

• U.S. District Judge John Kness ruled on July 9 that former 34th Ward Alderman Carrie Austin cannot participate in a jury trial unless her health materially improves
• A court-appointed pulmonologist found Austin’s lung function has declined over time and that she would likely require multiple oxygen tanks to endure trial days
• Prosecutors allege Austin accepted home-improvement kickbacks—such as sump pumps and kitchen cabinets—from a developer overseeing a $50 million ward project in exchange for official actions
• Defense lawyers have maintained since late 2022 that Austin’s chronic breathing issues, chest and leg pain and reliance on portable oxygen make her unable to stand trial
• Austin’s former chief of staff, Chester Wilson Jr., is still scheduled to face trial later this year on separate federal bribery and theft charges