Violent Crimes

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.

May 7, 2021

Man With Adam Toledo Facing Charges

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

Adam Toledo is among the latest victims of police violence, but bodycam footage shows the officer making a split-second decision as Toledo turned around. Toledo had deposited the gun behind a fence and was no longer holding it when the officer discharged his weapon. He had put his hands up, and in the heat of the moment, the officer shot him. The officer involved in the shooting will not face any charges related to Toledo’s death. The same cannot be said for the 21-year-old, Ruben Roman, who allegedly gave Toledo the gun.

What Police Think Happened

Roman and Toledo were together. Roman was discharging his weapon. The sound startled nearby residents, who called the police. Roman knew that the police were coming, so he gave the weapon to a 13-year-old who would not face charges. Roman had already faced weapons charges and was on gun probation at the time of the incident. So that is how the 13-year-old ended up with the weapon. The 13-year-old is running around with the weapon, police order him to drop it and put his hands up, and even though he complies, they shoot. Toledo dies.

April 21, 2021

Adam Toledo: A Lot to Unpack

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

For those of you who have not followed the story, Adam Toledo was a 13-year-old person of color who was shot dead by police officer Eric Stillman. Police received a call of weapons fire and they responded. Toledo and an older boy were allegedly firing into vehicles with loaded weapons. The cops responded, they caught up with Toledo on foot. The police officer was running with his weapon drawn when Toledo dumped his weapon and turned around with his hands up. The officer, not knowing whether or not Toledo was turning to shoot or to surrender, fired on the spot, killing Toledo. Should the officer be held accountable for this crime?

Where do We Lay the Blame?

Already, lines are beginning to form. On the one side, you have people blaming the police officer for using cowboy tactics to contain the situation. Others blame the 13-year-old, his parents, or the older boy who was with him at the time, Ruben Roman, who put the gun in his hands. Roman will face charges for putting the gun into the hands of the 13-year-old. But police-reform advocates believe that police are scapegoating Roman for their own mistake. Could it be that they are actually all right?

March 26, 2021

Two Men, Girl Charged in Organized Dating App Robberies

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

Two 18-year-old men are facing charges of terrorizing two other men who had arranged dates on the popular Tinder App. Jahziah McDonald and Jeremiyah Mannie were denied bail after the prosecutors said that the attacks were organized. The men have been charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated vehicular hijacking, and aggravated robbery—all of which are felonies. The men did not have adult records. However, one faced juvenile charges related to auto theft. A third female teenager was used to lure the men to the attack. The teenaged girl will face juvenile charges. A fourth individual who attended the attacks was released uncharged.

Hook-up Site Robberies Targeting Men

Men are not usually the target of hook-up site robberies. Generally, it is women who have to be more careful. However, anyone can be the victim of this sort of attack without regard to their gender. In this case, men hoping to hook up with a pretty girl were lured to a secluded place where the attack could be conducted. One man was forced to withdraw money from his account at an ATM.

March 24, 2021

The Death of Irony: Use of Force Instructor Charged in Off-Duty Shooting

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

A Chicago police officer who instructed other Chicago police officers in the use of force was recently arrested in relation to an off-duty police shooting. The officer shot the man in the hand. 39-year-old Kevin Bunge is charged with aggravated battery and the unlawful use of a weapon. Both are felonies. Bunge was held on a $10,000 bond.

Police say that Bunge was on his way home from the police academy where he taught when a vehicle pulled up behind him. Bunge was parked, listening to a book on tape when the vehicle approached. The two men were going to meet a friend. The one man was providing directions to the other man using Google Maps. The driver did not believe that the directions were accurate, so they pulled their vehicle over.

At this point, Bunge exited his vehicle with his gun and his badge. Although neither man was armed, Bunge fired into the vehicle. Both men inside the vehicle have filed a personal injury lawsuit against Bunge. Meanwhile, Bunge is facing criminal charges related to the incident.

March 10, 2021

Chicago Teens Charged in Carjacking

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

Two Chicago teens have been charged with carjacking and threatening to shoot the woman whose vehicle they stole. The incident occurred on the Southwest side of Chicago. The teens are accused of pulling a 58-year-old woman from her vehicle, threatening to shoot her, and then driving away with her car. Police were able to track down the vehicle less than two hours later. They arrested one of the teens at that time.

While both assailants are under the age of 18, the older of the two, a 17-year-old, is facing charges for vehicular hijacking and aggravated robbery. The 15-year-old is facing one count of criminal trespass to a vehicle. Both teens will make their first appearance in juvenile court, but the 17-year-old is likely to be charged as an adult for violently depriving someone else of their property.

What is Vehicular Hijacking?

February 26, 2021

Man Charged With Attempted Murder of Good Samaritan

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

Chicago police say that Diamontae Lee Kellum had just gotten through choking his girlfriend when another man approached her to render aid. Kellum became irate with the man, threw a bicycle at his head, and beat him unconscious, according to police. Kellum has been charged with several felonies, including attempted murder.

Police were called to the scene at around 8:00 pm when they found a man unconscious in the street. The victim had a large laceration on his head. He was treated at the hospital for a brain bleed and told police he could notremember what happened.

Why You Should Not be a Hero

February 24, 2021

Man Who Thwarted Burglary Attempt is Charged with Murder

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

A 33-year-old man has been charged with murder after thwarting an attempted burglary on his vehicle. The assailant, Lazaro Vaquez was reportedly cruising with his girlfriend to find someone to rob. He crossed paths with Adam Woods, who was not having it.

Video surveillance shows Vazquez approaching the car, but then appearing startled as Woods exited with a gun. Vazquez could be seen turning around and running. It was then that Woods fired four shots into Vazquez’s back, killing him.

Is This a Legitimate Murder Charge?

February 19, 2021

Chicago Man Faces Murder Charges in Shooting Death of 18-Year-Old

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

A Chicago Heights man has been charged with the death of 18-year-old Jacquise Baylock. The 18-year-old was fatally shot near a boys and girls club. 25-year-old Jason Hinton is the second man to face charges for the death of Baylock. LaQuan Tolliver is also named in an indictment and there may be as many as two other men who are believed to be involved in the shooting, although their names have not been released by police.

Police say that a woman confessed on behalf of all the men involved. She told police that she had lured Baylock to her residences where Tolliver, Hinton, and others lied in wait for an ambush. When Baylock got there, the men killed and robbed him.

Love Triangle Gone Wrong?

February 17, 2021

Chicago Man Facing Federal Charges After Carjacking

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

A Chicago man is facing federal charges after police allege he hijacked a car at gunpoint, crashed it on the South Side of Chicago, and fired a shot at police before being apprehended. In 2018, the feds announced that they planned on trying more carjacking cases in federal court. David Johnson is the lucky beneficiary of that initiative. He is the first man to face charges under the federal initiative.

At the time of the carjacking, David Johnson was on supervised release after he was found guilty of weapons charges. The US Attorney told the press that would-be carjackers had better watch out, “Committing a senseless act of violence like carjacking will earn you a home in federal prison for a long time.”

The Carjacking