Officer Lewis Reward up to $40,000

Still one guy out there wanted for questioning:

• The reward for information related to the death of a Chicago police officer last year has been increased, Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy announced today.
  
  The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation is offering $40,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction, as police continue to search for at least one other individual they believe was involved in the fatal shooting of Officer Clifton Lewis on Dec. 29, 2011.
  
  The reward previously had been set at $33,000.

 $40-grand ought to shake something loose. 

Disbarment is too Lenient

Anyone want to bet how this one turns out?

• The trial of a lawyer charged with letting her murder-suspect client use her cellphone in an Area 2 interrogation room two years ago started Tuesday with testimony from a Chicago Police officer who made the suspect get off the phone.
  
  The video recording in the interrogation room had been turned off to maintain attorney-client privilege for suspect Timothy Herring Jr. and his lawyer, Sladjana Vuckovic. But when Lt. Brendan Deenihan walked by and heard the voice, he said Herring Jr. appeared to be talking to himself.
  
  “It was a one-way conversation, which was odd since he was with his attorney,” Deenihan testified Tuesday, describing what he heard before he peered in and saw Herring chatting on Vuckovic’s cellphone. Herring had been arrested in connection with the fatal shootings of Chicago Police evidence technician Michael Flisk and former CHA Police Officer Stephen Peters.
  
  Investigators will never know if or how Herring used those phone calls to advance his own case, Cook County prosecutors argued at the opening of Vuckovic’s trial.
  
  Vuckovic, a CTA lawyer who was acting as a First Defense Legal Aid volunteer when she counseled Herring, is accused of bringing contraband to a penal institution, a charge that her attorney claims is excessive.
  

A CTA lawyer? That tells us "heavy" right there. And a bleeding heart to boot.

The trial continues in Room 402 (Judge Clay) today. Stop by if you want to see the face that abets the evil.

Trooper Killed

This didn't get much coverage in Chicago - apologies to the ISP for the oversight:

• Trooper Kyle Deatherage, who recently transferred to the Illinois State Police motorcycle unit to spend more time with his young family, was struck and killed by a truck Monday morning during a traffic stop along Interstate 55 near Litchfield.
  
  Deatherage, 32, of Highland, entered law enforcement as a Madison County sheriff’s deputy in 2004 and moved to the state police in May 2009.
  
  Nelda Christin, an aunt, said the family was devastated by the loss. Deatherage was married to Christin’s niece, Sarah, and they have two children, Kaylee, 4, and Camden, 10 months old.
  
  “He was a wonderful person,” Christin said. She said he switched to motorcycle duty because it allowed him to move from the night shifts to days, and see more of his growing family.
  
  Hiram Grau, director of the state police, issued a statement saying, “Our hearts are heavy with grief, but they are also strengthened by Trooper Deatherage’s brave calling.”

Prayers only for Trooper Deatherage here please.

Flisk Memorial Mural

Two years ago, he was taken from us:

• Two years after Chicago Police Officer Michael Flisk was fatally shot while dusting for fingerprints at a South Side crime scene, a mural honoring him was dedicated Sunday at the Catholic Church he attended.
  
  [...] The colorful mural, which honors all first responders, is part of a new shrine to St. Michael and St. Florian steps from St. Rita’s alter [sic] and minutes from the Beverly home where Flisk raised his four kids.

There is also an Honored Star Case Ceremony today at Headquarters, but we aren't sure which of the recently deceased this is honoring. Could someone let us know in the comment section?

Lewis's Gun Recovered

Closure of a sort:

• A man who police said had a stolen gun belonging to slain Chicago police officer Clifton Lewis stashed inside a cooler at his Austin neighborhood home has been charged.
  
  Dimitri Mitchell, 19, of the 800 block of North Leamington Avenue, was charged Saturday with unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and possession of a stolen firearm, police said. Mitchell was ordered held on $150,000 bond today.
  
  When officers got to his home Thursday afternoon to execute a search warrant, they knocked and waited but ended up forcing their way in. They found Mitchell in the bathroom.
  
  After a brief interview, Mitchell nodded his head toward a black and gray cooler in the hallway of his home and told police: "The gun's in there in case someone tries to come in," according to a preliminary police report.

Yet another reason why street executions ought to be legal.  No better than grave robbers.

Officer Shot in Knee

Channel 5 News:

• A Chicago Police was shot Wednesday night on the Far South Side.

  It happened shortly after 8 p.m. near 112th Street and Racine Avenue. The officer was shot in the knee and was reported in stable condition.

  FOP president Pat Camden said the bullet went right through his knee.

  One suspects accused of shooting the officer was also shot and was reported in serious condition. Another suspect is at large.

No name yet. Godspeed Officer.

RIP Officer Bostic-Jones

Cook County lays one of their own to rest:

• Hundreds of mourners were at a West Side church today for the funeral of a Cook County correctional officer who was fatally struck by a hit-and-run driver as she was on her way to work last week.

  Nikkii Bostic-Jones of Plainfield was killed on July 18 as the 12-year-veteran officer was walking across California Avenue near 29th Street to begin her overnight shift at the maximum security division of the jail.

Godspeed Officer.

$3 Million Bond

We wish that we could see similar high bonds on so many other attacks and wounding of officers:

• Dozens of Cook County correctional officers filled a courtroom Saturday as a Little Village man with a history of DUI arrests was ordered held on $3 million bail Saturday for the hit-and-run accident that killed a fellow officer.

  Juan Bello, 57, was charged with reckless homicide, leaving the scene of an accident and was cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian, driving too fast for conditions and driving on a revoked license.

  Nikkii Bostic-Jones, 37, was thrown onto the road and pinned under a sheriff’s car when she was hit by Bello’s van as she crossed the street outside the Cook County Jail on her way to work late Wednesday night, authorities said.

We're assuming this murderer is being held outside of Cook County.

Charges Filed

Some closure at least:

• Reckless homicide charges were filed today against a West Side man who allegedly struck and killed a Cook County correctional officer as she was about to begin her overnight shift at Cook County Jail.

  Juan Bello, 57, of the 2900 block of West 25th Street, was charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident and reckless homicide. He was also cited for failure to yield to a pedestrian, going too fast for conditions and driving on a revoked license.

  State records show Bello's driver's license was revoked in 2010 after his second DUI arrest.

We have little doubt that had he been arrested at the scene, he'd be facing his third DUI arrest, this time with aggravating circumstances.

Hit and Run Suspect in Custody

We were unavailable most of the day, so we didn't get to cover this one:

• A suspect is in custody in Wednesday night’s hit-and-run death of a popular Cook County correctional officer, struck and killed as she walked to work at the Cook County Jail, sources said.

  Nikkii Bostic-Jones, 37, was hit around 10:50 p.m. Wednesday while crossing the street outside the jail on her way to work, officials said.

  Bostic-Jones flew into the southbound lane and was hit and pinned under a sheriff’s car, sheriff officials said.

  Police obtained the possible make and model of the full-sized van responsible, as well as a partial license plate number. Using databases, they located a similar van nearby, owned by a man who lives near the jail, source said.

  Evidence on the van appeared to link it to the crash, sources said.

That entire street and boulevard around the jail is a death trap. County had stationed squad cars as crossing guards on and off over the years when employees and sheriffs had been hit by cars. Maybe it's time to figure out a better parking arrangement for our brothers and sisters working the jail. They shouldn't have to risk their lives crossing the street to get to that hellhole they work in.

Godspeed Officer Bostic-Jones.

Police Memorial Week

In all the hubbub of NATO, the Police Memorial Week got little coverage.

But in Washington DC, our retirees stepped up to guarantee a Chicago presence at the Memorial. Click over to the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation website, then click on the "Retirees" button at the top of the page. There's a good article there and a slide show.

A special thanks to everyone who was able to go and represent our Department's fallen during the NATO event. Hopefully next year we return with a record breaking turnout.

Cliff Lewis Hearing

Today, 26th and California at 0900 hours, Room 206, the murderers of Officer Cliff Lewis have some sort of procedural hearing.

If you're in court today, stop by.

St. Jude's

The weather held off enough to have a pretty good (though chilly) day at the lakefront:

• Dressed in a police uniform, Adam Sanchez, 9, wept Sunday as he held a photograph of his uncle – a Chicago Police Department officer who died in the line of duty nearly three years ago.
  
  The boy came to Gold Star Families Memorial and Park to honor the memory of 27-year-old Alejandro Valadez, who was shot and killed in the line of duty in the Englewood neighborhood in June 2009. He was joined by hundreds of others for the 80^th annual St. Jude Police League Memorial March and Service honoring fallen officers.
  
  Valadez's sister Brenda said while her family still struggles with the loss, events like Sunday's ceremony are comforting.

Especially comforting to those still wearing the uniform each and every day in the face of the senseless deaths of our brothers and sisters. Godspeed to all the fallen.

Life in Prison

Rot in hell:

• Eighteen years before he gunned down Ofc. Nathaniel Taylor Jr. on Sept. 28, 2008, Lamar Cooper fired shots at another on-duty Chicago police officer.

  Ofc. Ronald Simmons described Tuesday how Cooper turned and shot at him three times in July 1990, and how he never had time to fire back at Cooper in the alley on Chicago’s South Side.

  And then Cook County Judge Nicholas Ford sentenced Cooper, 40, to life in prison for killing Taylor, saying, “I hope you live a long, long life behind bars so you can remember what you did for the rest of your life.”

Always remember Nathaniel Taylor and keep his family in your prayers.

Officer Shot, Far South Side

Breaking as we speak:

• A Chicago police officer was shot late this afternoon on the city's Far South Side, police said.

  The shooting happened at 4:50 p.m. near West 102nd and South Morgan Streets. No condition report was immediately available.

We'll keep an ear out.

UPDATE: WBBM saying "not life threatening, but more serious than a graze wound."

On Duty Death

Twenty-five year vet passes of what appears to be a heart attack:

• A Chicago Police officer suffered a heart attack and died while working in River West Saturday.

  Preston Ross Jr., 48, was in full uniform, working near the CTA Blue Line station at Grand and Milwaukee when he began having problems breathing and collapsed, authorities said.

  A Chicago Fire Department ambulance took the 25-year police veteran to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10 a.m., police spokesman [...] said. A police motorcade later escorted the officer’s body from Northwestern Memorial to the Stein Institute, where an autopsy will be performed.

Godspeed Officer Ross.

Suspected Killer Convicted

Only he wasn't convicted of the charge we'd most like to see him doing life for:

• A reputed gang member who was once implicated in the killing of a Chicago police officer – only to have those charges later dropped -- was found guilty today by a federal jury on drug charges.
  
  Prosecutors said Jason “J-Rock” Austin was overseeing a 24-hour heroin and crack market at Kedzie Avenue and Ohio Street known as “KO.”
  
  Austin was charged by Cook County prosecutors in 2008 for killing off-duty Chicago police Officer Richard Soto and Soto’s companion.
  
  Prosecutors dropped the case a month later due to lack of evidence and problems with statements from witnesses.

At this point, we'll take what we can get. Maybe with this scumbag off the street, someone previously unwilling to come forward might feel a little safer doing so? This case was a straight up textbook example of gang intimidation, witness tampering and lord knows what other mischief.

Oh, and Ms. Sweeney? Officer Soto's given name was Robert. Bobby to his friends. Please correct your article.

Chilling Video

Watch the prisoner's hands:



What the hell did he get off of that necklace? It seems to have gone from a diamond shape to a triangle. A key? A key and a blade? And he's really going with the mouth, playing to the cameras and pretty much telling them he's about to escape and do some damage.

Sharpshooters killed him later, but not before he took the life of a Mobile, Alabama officer, the one driving the car in the video.

Star Retired for Line of Duty Death

The Line of Duty death that few, if any heard about:

• "He lived his dream and died doing what he wanted to do," the brother told a reporter after Chicago police officials retired the star of Nauden, a 21-year police veteran who died in May after suffering a heart attack at 46.

  Nauden was about to make an undercover drug purchase on a Southeast Side street as part of an investigation of the Black P Stones street gang when he suddenly felt ill, according to department spokeswoman Melissa Stratton.

  Without compromising the sensitive operation, he left the scene and flagged down a passing ambulance that took him to a hospital, she said. He died the next day.

  "It was a high-pressure situation," Stratton said of the planned drug buy.

  Police did not publicize Nauden's death at the time because the undercover operation was ongoing, Michael Shields, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, said at Wednesday's ceremony at police headquarters. Even the usual black-and-purple bunting that is draped over entrances of police stations to denote an officer's death wasn't put up in Nauden's case, for the same reason.

Maybe we're a bit out of the loop, but has the Department declared a week of mourning? Are the flags at half staff? Mourning bands to be worn for seven days? Is the bunting over the doors at HQ or Homan Square or at the FOP? Did we miss it?

Godspeed Officer Nauden. We, along with many of your brothers and sisters, never knew.

Verdict in Nathaniel Taylor Murder

Guilty on all counts.