Dec 5, 2006 7:24 pm US/Central
Additional Officers Charged With Misconduct
Bond Increased For Two Previously Charged Cops
by Derrick Blakley
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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(clockwise) Jerome Finnigan, Keith Herrera, Carl Suchocki, Thomas Sherry
CBS
Several Chicago police officers are facing very steep bonds after appearing in court Tuesday on corruption charges.
CBS 2's Derrick Blakley reports on the allegations, and the officers who are pointing fingers at their colleagues.
Prosecutors say the additional cops charged Tuesday joined others brazenly breaking into drug dealers' homes and stealing tens of thousands of dollars, abusing their police powers.
"[Being an officer] doesn't give them the right to terrorize, intimidate or take money for themselves. It's a big line that was crossed here. It's not gray territory, it's very clear," said Cook County States Attorney Richard Devine.
Newly charged Tuesday were 38-year-old officer Frank Villareal, who received a $1.5 million bond, and 32-year-old officer Margaret Hopkins, who got a $750,000 bond.
Joseph Roddy, Hopkins' attorney, a single mother, insisted she had no direct involvement.
"They were very careful about what they said about Meg. [They said] that she was present -- you can be present at the Cubs game but not be managing it," Roddy said.
Also, additional charges were made Tuesday against two cops already implicated. For that, 43-year-old Jerome Finnigan and 28-year-old Keith Herrera were each slapped with an additional $1 million bond, on top of the $3 million bond they already received.
Prosecutors said at least a dozen police officers who witnessed the rogue cops in action have come forward to implicate their colleagues.
"Many of these police officers are to be commended for coming forward and stating what occurred," Devine said.
But defense attorneys questioned just how a jury will view the prosecution's other witnesses.
"Almost every witness the state is talking about as far as civilian witnesses have substantial criminal backgrounds, have been involved in the narcotics distribution business. I'm not exactly sure what kind of veracity they have," said Robert Kuzas, Herrera's attorney.
In all, prosecutors say, the accused officers stole more than $160,000 in cash and more than $30,000 in jewelry during home invasions and burglaries between 2003 and 2005.
The investigation isn't over, and authorities are saying they would not be surprised if still more officers are charged.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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