The officer is okay. He was shot in the vest. The woman who fired the bullets, however, was critically injured in the exchange of gunfire. She was charged with attempted murder, weapons crimes, and aggravated battery. On Monday, she accepted a plea for aggravated battery and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Good behavior credits plus time served mean that she could be out in as little as four years. Had the defendant been convicted of attempted murder, she would have faced a minimum sentence of 26 years.
What Happened?
Two plainclothes officers witnessed the defendant during a suspected drug deal. One officer called the defendant over for questioning. She immediately ran. The officer gave chase. When he was about to catch up with her, she turned around and shot him. The bullet penetrated a flashlight on his vest and then also penetrated the vest leaving a scar on his body near his heart. The officers returned fire but critically wounded the defendant who survived her injuries to stand trial. She was expected to plead innocent and then defend herself at trial, but a last-minute plea deal subverted the effort.
Indeed, a 10-year sentence for nearly killing a police officer is a pretty good deal, leaving one to wonder what else happened that the prosecution was willing to forgo trial. To be sure, trials are costly, but taking 10 years on a potential life sentence (once all the charges were added together) is not the type of bargain prosecutors like to strike.
It bears noting that the defendant was not engaged in violent activity when the officers approached her. She was engaged in a drug deal. Police escalated the situation by intervening and that resulted in the exchange of gunfire.
The War on Drugs
The war on drugs has been a dismal failure. Now, more municipalities are considering decriminalization to avoid situations like this, which are not only dangerous for the community but the police officers that serve the community. Further, the war on drugs has specifically damaged the Black and inner-city community via zoning laws and harsher sentences for certain types of drugs usually found in the inner city. If you ever wondered why having crack is worse than cocaine, wonder no longer. It is because crack is generally found in inner cities that have a high concentration of Black citizens. Within the city limits, zoning laws create “no drug zones” around churches, schools, and hospitals, which leave most of the city covered in zones that result in enhanced penalties.
Further, while it is illegal to enslave someone, the government has the power to strip your Constitutional rights if you are found guilty of a crime. The Constitution says only that slavery without due process is illegal. Hence why prison labor is often a source of controversy, especially in the Black community.
Talk to a Chicago Criminal Defense Attorney
If you are facing serious criminal charges in the Chicago area, call the experienced legal team of David Freidberg today at (312) 560-7100 to get ahead of the allegations and allow us to begin building your defense immediately.