A police officer faces serious charges following an alleged shooting, according to law enforcement sources. The Illinois officer faces a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter after a woman was shot and killed last year. It is unclear if the officer remains on duty, if he is in custody, or if he has retained legal counsel as of this writing.
According to the affidavit from last year, the officer, who was off-duty at the time, became embroiled in an altercation with several other men. Apparently the officer opened fire when he believed one of the men was holding a gun — it turned out to be a cell phone. A 22-year-old woman who was fleeing the scene was struck by a wayward bullet and died as a result of her injuries.
The family filed a lawsuit against the city of Chicago, which was settled for $4.5 million seven months ago. The charges against the officer have since been filed by the family as well. The officer also faces charges of reckless discharge of a firearm and reckless conduct. He was set to appear in bond court on Nov. 25.
The details of this case are still in question and being investigated by the appropriate Illinois authorities. In order for the felony charge to be upheld in a court of law, prosecutors will have to prove the bullet that killed the woman in question was fired by the officer and that the discharge of the weapon was not accidental. The defense may benefit from reviewing the record of the alleged incident to determine whether the officer was acting in defense of his life, which may influence the outcome of the case.
Source: bnd.com, Chicago police officer charged in shooting death, No author, Nov. 25, 2013