May 16, 2007 3:16 pm US/Central
Cop Pleads Not Guilty To Beating Female Bartender
Anthony Abbate Was Allegedly The Man Caught On Tape Beating Much-Smaller Woman
CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
A Chicago police officer has pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated battery and other charges in the beating of a woman bartender.
Anthony Abbate, a 12-year department veteran, entered his plea on Wednesday before a Cook County Criminal Court judge. He is charged with one count of aggravated battery, and later he was charged also with seven counts of official misconduct, one count of communicating with a witness, three counts of intimidation and three counts of conspiracy.
As CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman reports, Abbate pleaded not guilty to all 15 counts.
Abbate is accused of beating up bartender Karolina Obrycka on Feb. 19 at Jesse's Shortstop Inn Tavern, at 5425 W. Belmont Ave.
The attack was caught on surveillance videotape and is cited by many as the reason for the resignation of police Supt. Philip Cline.
Abbate allegedly beat Obrycka because she refused to serve him another drink.
Abbate has been placed on leave and police have said they intend to fire him over the alleged beating, which embarrassed the city and police department. Police faced intense criticism because Abbate originally was charged with a misdemeanor, until the videotape became public.
At the hearing Wednesday, assistant state's attorneys declined to comment. But Abbate's attorney, Peter Hickey, said he believed his client would be exonerated at trial.
"He's pleading not guilty because he is not guilty, and that's what we expect that at the conclusion of the trial, that's what the outcome will be," Hickey said.
But Hickey admitted that he had not seen the videotape that shows the bartender being beaten.
"I haven't seen the tape. I was just given a copy of the tape now," Hickey said. "I'll review the tape between now and the next court date."
Terry Ekl, an attorney for Obrycka, claimed that after the beating, two of Abbate's friends showed up at the bar and offered her money for medical bills and lost wages if she agreed not to prosecute Abbate. A portion of the surveillance video showing them at the bar was released later.
"He was going to plant drugs in those people's cars in the bar and to harass patrons coming out and charge them with DUI if she went forward with her accusations," Ekl said last month.
The official misconduct, communicating with a witness, intimidation and conspiracy charges came from these allegations.
Abbate is due back in court on June 18.
In a separate case, three other Chicago police officers appeared in bond court Wednesday on charges stemming from an alleged fight with four businessmen at another bar in December.
Sgt. Jeffrey Planey and officers Paul Powers and Gregory Barnes have been charged with aggravated battery in the incident. Planey was also charged with obstruction of justice and official misconduct for allegedly sending away other officers who responded to the bar fight.
Bond was set at $60,000 for Planey and $40,000 each for Powers and Barnes.
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