Kim Foxx recuses Cook County State's Attorney's Office from Jedidiah Brown battery case

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A group of Chicago police officers took Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx to court Tuesday morning.

They wanted her to be removed from a criminal case involving local activist Jedidiah Brown, and a special prosecutor appointed.

Foxx recused her office Tuesday from prosecuting the battery case and did not fight the petition.

A statement from the Cook County State's Attorney's Office said: "The State's Attorney has elected to recuse herself and her office from this case. While we believe that there is no legal conflict, given the unique circumstances of this case, we have no objection to the appointment of a special prosecutor. State's Attorney Foxx has not been involved in any aspect of the charging or prosecution of the pending misdemeanor case involving Jedidiah Brown. Pursuant to state law, the Court will appoint a special prosecutor to handle this matter going forward."

Brown, a community activist and former aldermanic candidate, attended a special hearing on the matter at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse Tuesday morning. He said he was never a paid employee of her campaign, even though he does support her.

"There is no relationship, personal or business, with me and the state's attorney, nor her office. Nor has there been with her campaign," Brown said.

Brown was arrested last summer during protests with police for allegedly punching and kicking officers.

The officers involved in the case alleged in a court filing that Foxx and Brown have a thriving political relationship, pointing to a selfie they took together that surfaced on social media.

Brown was also seen standing behind Foxx at a recent rally calling for an end to attacks against the state's attorney and her office's handling of the Jussie Smollett case.

"If a man has a pending criminal case, the state's attorney shouldn't have any contact with that person. He shouldn't be talking to that person. He certainly shouldn't be posing for photographs with that person," said James McKay, attorney for the CPD officers involved in the Brown case.

Brown's attorney, Jon Erickson, said the filing is a move by the Fraternal Order of Police, trying to keep news about Foxx negative.

"My client was used as a pawn between FOP's battle with Kim Foxx. It had nothing to do with his case," Erickson said.

Brown has also filed his own lawsuit against the officers.