Request for 2019 death records
| Tracking # |
20-928 |
| Submitted | Oct. 14, 2020 |
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Communications
From: Kyra Senese
To whom it may concern:
This is a request pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.. We are requesting death records dating Jan. 1, 2019, to Dec. 31, 2019, with the following information for each case:
- decedent name
- case number
- decedent name
- date of death
- location of death
- race
- ethnicity
- age
- gender
- occupation/industry
- whether injury/infection occurred at work
- incident location (street address, city, state, ZIP where injury/infection occurred)
- incident date
- decedent residence (street address, city, state, ZIP)
- cause(s) of death (indicating if COVID related)
- contributing factors
- any other accessible, non-exempt information contained in electronic case records
This request is part of an ongoing collaboration involving the John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships at Stanford University, the MuckRock Foundation and partner newsrooms across the country. This request is part of a news-gathering process and is intended for educational, not commercial use.
We request expedited processing to the extent possible. This information is critical to the public’s understanding of the coronavirus pandemic and its local impact on public health. Let us know if we can help clarify this request in any way. Please also consider waiving any fees for producing the requested records.
Please provide the data in spreadsheet format as an e-mail attachment.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. We look forward to receiving your response to this request within 5 business days, as the statute requires.
--
Kyra Senese
Brown Institute for Media Innovation
Columbia University
630-608-8844
From: Cook County Medical Examiner's Office
October 20, 2020
Kyra Senese
Brown Institute for Media Innovation
Columbia University
Email: requests@muckrock.com<mailto:requests@muckrock.com>
Dear Ms. Senese,
The Office of the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners is in receipt of your request for information under the Freedom of Information Act (the "Act").
On Wednesday, October 13, 2020 we received your request for "death records dating Jan. 1, 2019, to Dec. 31, 2019, with the following information for each case:
- decedent name
- case number
- decedent name
- date of death
- location of death
- race
- ethnicity
- age
- gender
- occupation/industry
- whether injury/infection occurred at work
- incident location (street address, city, state, ZIP where injury/infection occurred)
- incident date
- decedent residence (street address, city, state, ZIP)
- cause(s) of death (indicating if COVID related)
- contributing factors
- any other accessible, non-exempt information contained in electronic case records."
Attached is information responsive to your request. Please note that occupation and industry has been redacted under section 7(1)(c) which exempts from disclosure "[p]ersonal information contained within public records, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy." 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(c).
The undersigned is responsible for this partial denial. You have a right to have the denial of your request reviewed by the Public Access Counselor (PAC) at the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. 5 ILCS 140/9.5(a). You can file your Request for Review with the PAC by writing to:
Public Access Counselor
Office of the Attorney General
500 South 2nd Street
Springfield, Illinois 62706
Fax: (217) 782-1396
E-mail: publicaccess@atg.state.il.us<mailto:publicaccess@atg.state.il.us>
You also have the right to seek judicial review of your denial by filing a lawsuit in the State circuit court. 5 ILCS 140/11.
If you choose to file a Request for Review with the PAC, you must do so within 60 calendar days of the date of this denial letter. 5 ILCS 140/9.5(a). Please note that you must include a hard copy of your original FOIA request and this denial letter when filing a Request for Review with the PAC.
If you have any questions, or if there is anything else we can do for you, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you,
Rachel
[cid:image001.png@01CFDC92.32672470]
Rachel Dailey
Administrative Assistant V
Aide to Legal and Government Affairs | Office of the President
69 W. Washington, Suite 1415 | Chicago, IL 60602
(O) 312-603-0002
Rachel.Dailey@cookcountyil.gov<mailto:Rachel.Dailey@cookcountyil.gov>
PRIVILEGE AND CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail transmission, including all attachments, is confidential information belonging to the sender and the intended recipient, may be protected by the attorney-client privilege or attorney work product privilege, and may constitute non-public pre-decisional FOIA exempt information. This information is ONLY for the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any unauthorized use, disclosure, distribution (electronic or otherwise), copying or the taking of any action in reliance on this information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please immediately notify the sender of receipt of the e-mail and then destroy all copies (electronic or otherwise) of the transmission and attachments. Receipt by an unintended recipient does not waive attorney-client privilege, attorney work product privilege or any other legal exemption from disclosure.)
