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Dozens Of Cases Dropped Because Of Four Cops

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Sep 15, 2006 8:14 am US/Central

Dozens Of Cases Dropped Because Of Four Cops

Officers Accused Of Intimidating, Kidnapping Drug Dealers

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CHICAGO (CBS) ― The Cook County state's attorney's office has had no choice but to drop more than two dozen drug and gun cases following the arrest last week of four Chicago Police officers on corruption charges.

Prosecutors said the officers' involvement tainted the cases. One dropped case concerns two men arrested in a $15 million cocaine bust.

The four officers -- Jerome Finnigan, Keith Herrera, Thomas Sherry and Carl Suchocki --
are accused of robbing, kidnapping and intimidating alleged drug dealers. Bond was set last week in the millions for all of them.

Prosecutors say the officers from the elite "special operations section," abused their authority to terrorize and steal from people. They say the men allegedly forced their way into homes of drug dealers and ordinary citizens. The officers allegedly took everything from drugs to guns and in come cases thousands of dollars in cash.

But a defense attorney disputed the allegations.

"I don't know who's making these allegations," said defense attorney Tom Breen following the bond hearing last week. "There was a summary of someone outside of court making allegations, but we don't know the specifics."

Prosecutors said there were numerous cases where the officers never showed up in court to testify, which allowed alleged drug dealers to go free.

Investigators say the tip-off came when the officers repeatedly failed to testify in court causing the dismissal of the criminal cases without credible excuses. Four lawsuits that have been filed in federal court by citizens is what partially led the Internal Affairs investigation to take place.

Police Supt. Philip Cline said the officers were to be suspended without pay and the department will move to fire them.

(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.