Aggravated Battery

May 10, 2023

Officer Facing Charges of Aggravated Battery After Punching 17-Year-Old Boy

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

An incident that had the Arab American community up in arms has resulted in criminal charges being filed against an Oak Lawn police officer who allegedly committed official misconduct in the court of arrest. The officer will have to face charges of aggravated battery and official misconduct after a grand jury decided to pursue charges against the officer. The Oak Lawn police department has declined to comment on the incident.

Two other officers involved in the altercation were not charged, much to the disappointment of the family. This appears to be the new normal as far as police violence goes. The law will charge the individual as a scapegoat who committed the most egregious violation, and then those who stood by and watched or partook in a lesser way get off without repercussion.

The officers were filmed during the altercation. Two were holding the victim on the ground while a third continually struck him. The video went viral, and the police department defended the officers stating that they were following their training. This, too, is part of the problem.

October 7, 2022

18-Year-Old Held After Carjacking, Battery, Against 61-Year-Old Man

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

Police have confirmed the arrest of an 18-year-old after a vicious carjacking against a 61-year-old man in Chinatown. The man was also of Asian descent. It is unclear if the man was targeted because of his ethnicity, but crimes against the Asian population have skyrocketed since COVID-19. Asian business owners are now being targeted for hate crimes and burglaries. Many believe that Asians avoid using banks, making their homes prime targets to rob. In this case, the perpetrators may have targeted the area hoping to find an Asian with a wad of cash on them. Nonetheless, the beating itself was vicious, and the 61-year-old man was found unconscious in the street.

Police believe that there are four suspects involved in the carjacking, but thus far, only one of them has been apprehended. The suspect is currently being charged with attempted murder and aggravated vehicular hijacking. Another juvenile has been arrested in connection with possessing the victim’s stolen vehicle, but it is not believed that he was involved in the carjacking attempt. It is unclear if he will be charged with a crime.

The carjacking

June 29, 2022

Chicago Officer Charged Over Altercation With Woman

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

A white Chicago officer has been officially charged after an altercation with a Black woman who was walking her dog. The defendant has since resigned from the police force and has been charged with aggravated battery and official misconduct. The 52-year-old officer resigned prior to an official disciplinary hearing.

The altercation ensued when the officer found a woman walking her dog along the beach. The officer detained the woman and told her the beach was closed. The woman said she felt threatened and asked the officer to step back. At that point, the officer grabbed the woman. The incident was not only caught on bodycam but a bystander recorded much of the altercation.

The victim told the press that she believed the incident was racially motivated. She also said that she did not believe that all cops were bad people, but this particular cop was a bad apple. As a criminal defense attorney, you wish that people remembered the entirety of the cliche. A few bad apples can spoil the bunch.

April 22, 2022

Woman Charged With Hate Crime After Throwing Drink at Bartender

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

If you throw a drink at someone, that is battery. If you throw a drink at someone after calling them a ‘ho’ and demanding that they take their Star of David necklace off, then it is a hate crime. Such is the circumstance of a 30-year-old woman who was offended by the Jewish iconography worn by the bartender. She is now facing enhanced charges of battery evincing evidence of prejudice.

The woman went off on a tirade concerning Israeli-Palestinian conflict. When the bartender recognized she was Palestinian, she told the woman that she did not mean to upset her. The woman was not consoled. She informed the bartender that she “hated Jews” and then threw her drink at the bartender, striking her in the collarbone.

The woman was later identified via surveillance footage. She turned herself in before a warrant could be issued. The woman was released on her own recognizance and ordered not to drink or take drugs while her case is pending.

June 11, 2021

Woman Pleads Guilty to Shooting Police Officer

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

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.

July 15, 2020

CTA Employees Facing Charges After Fist Fight Goes Viral

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported on a CTA incident in which two CTA employees allegedly got into an altercation with a bus rider. The incident occurred on June 11. 28-year-old Leonard Anders Jr. and 46-year-old Milan Williams, both transit employees, have been fired and now face charges for their role in the incident. The victim, 43-year-old Lawrence Madden can be seen on video getting body slammed by Lawrence Madden who entered the altercation after a fight broke out between Anders and Madden.

CTA announced that the two men were being fired for violation of a number of rules, including conduct unbefitting of a CTA employee and failure to report the incident. The two men also face charges of misdemeanor battery and aggravated felony battery.

Who Threw the First Punch?

January 25, 2019

Aurora Woman Arrested for Aggravated Battery and Domestic Battery

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

On January 16, 2019, an Aurora woman was arrested and charged with three counts of felony aggravated battery and three counts of misdemeanor domestic battery at Rush Copley Medical Center in Aurora. The charges were spurred by a video of the incident captured by a witness who in turn called 911. The woman is accused of dragging her five year old child by the hair and holding him down and pinching his neck, causing bruising, according to The Chicago Sun Times.

What are the Punishments for Aggravated Battery and Domestic Battery?

In Illinois, aggravated battery is a Class 3 felony and is punishable by a term of imprisonment of between two and a half to five years with a potential fine of up to $25,000. In certain cases, this sentence can be extended to up to 10 years if certain aggravating circumstances exist. A previous felony conviction within the last 10 years or if the battery is committed against a victim 12 years of age or younger are just two of the aggravating factors that can be considered. Domestic battery is considered a Class A misdemeanor (although it can also be charged as a felony in some cases) and can be punished with up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $2500. It is important to note that domestic battery is a misdemeanor that, upon conviction, even if you are sentenced only to court supervision, can not be expunged from your criminal record. This differs from many other misdemeanors and further exemplifies the seriousness of the charge.

August 10, 2018

Examining Assault and Battery Cases

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

Assault and battery cases occur on a daily basis in Chicago. If you are ever charged in such a case, it is important for you to know what you face moving forward. For starters, you should never defend yourself in court when it comes to even minor or misdemeanor charges. There is no reason you should mess with your freedom or your rights. Let’ us take a look at assault and battery cases in today’s post so you know what to expect if you ever face these charges.

Definition of Assault

The most common definition of assault is when one person threatens to harm another or incites the fear of harm in another person. It could also include the intent to injure another person. For the most part, contact with the victim is not necessary for someone to be charged with assault. That is why you do not need battery to be present for assault be a charge, while on the other hand battery requires assault for both charges to be issued.

July 20, 2018

Aggravated Battery of a Police Officer in Chicago

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

Aggravated battery of a police officer is a serious crime. Chicago judges and law enforcement are especially harsh on these cases. If you were recently charged with this crime, it is important to know your defense options. It is also crucial that you look at recent cases to understand how harsh the judge could be at your arraignment and potential trial.

Recent Cases

On July 4, 2018, Chicago police responded to a domestic dispute at a party. A woman told police that her boyfriend had physically assaulted her. She had left the event, but her child was still there. When the police attempted to arrest the boyfriend, he became violent and used the child as a shield against them. Two of the man’s relatives then assaulted the officers in an attempt to free him.

June 14, 2018

Aggravating Factors for Carjacking Crimes in Chicago

by Law Offices of David L. Freidberg, P.C.

Although crime has been on the decline in Chicago as of late, carjacking is still a common occurrence throughout the city. Due to the nature of a city/urban environment, many people live in close quarters who are using vehicles for their commute, leading to the prevalence of this particular crime. Car jacking crimes can take on many different forms. For example, carjacking is nearly always more of a serious offense than car theft due to the vehicle being taken by force or intimidation, or sometimes both. Certain actions leading up to the illegal obtainment of the vehicle may qualify as an aggravating factor to your offense.

Under Illinois law, an aggravated carjacking is sentenced as a class X felony, which is a mandatory six to 30 years in prison, while a plain carjacking offense is a class 1 with a four-to-15-year minimum sentence.

Armed and Dangerous