Chicago Criminal Lawyer Blog

December 16, 2020

Investigation Begins Into Man Shot While Running From Police

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

In Georgia, if you and your friends are committing some crime, get spotted, and run, you can be charged with murder if a police officer pulls the trigger and kills one of your friends. In fact, all of your friends who were there at the scene can be charged with your friend’s murder even though they never pulled the trigger.

In Illinois, we do things a little differently. Firing wantonly at fleeing suspects is not considered a laudable act. In Chicago, we have a civilian oversight agency that investigates police shootings and when and if appropriate, files recommendations with the department for disciplinary action. This is where we are with the fatal shooting of Maurice Granton, Jr. who was killed by police in 2018 while attempting to flee. While the task force would not disclose the contents of their investigation and simply handed their recommendation over to the department, this is generally an indication that they found cause for disciplinary action and perhaps even criminal charges.

Meanwhile, Granton’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Chicago P.D. claiming that he was shot in the back while unarmed and posed no threat to police officers. His attorney claims that his hands were visible when the shot was fired. The family is seeking an undisclosed amount of money to settle the claim.

December 11, 2020

Chicago Sergeant Sues Wisconsin Police

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

It is not safe for anyone out there anymore. Even other police officers are being abused at the hands of the law. Perhaps this will be the wake-up call that everyone needs that the situation, as it stands, is untenable, unsustainable, and unjust.

Sgt. Jose Garcia was arrested in Wisconsin for “inappropriately touching” a 15-year-old girl. The girl was a family friend. Garcia said he was only horsing around in a water park pool with her and five other children, four of whom were his own.

The incident occurred in 2016. By 2018, Wisconsin prosecutors had dropped the sexual assault charges against Garcia, saying that they would be “unable to prove” the charges against him. Garcia’s records were expunged and sealed from the public.

December 9, 2020

G Herbo Facing Federal Fraud Charges

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

Chicago rapper G Herbo has been charged in Massachusetts for using stolen identities to make illegal purchases. Purchases included trips on personal jets and designer puppies, according to the complaint. While rappers are not known for their white-collar prosecutions, identity theft is a major business in the criminal underworld. The 25-year-old Herbert Wright III is charged with conspiracy to commit fraud and aggravated identity theft. The following will take a look at what prosecutions for these crimes look like.

Who is G Herbo?

G Herbo was recently on The Tonight Show. He grew up in the South Side of Chicago, a neighborhood known as “Terror Town.” His frank lyrics about growing up in Chicago catapulted G Herbo into the forefront of the rap world. Makes you wonder why a guy like that would need to steal identities to fund his purchases of designer puppies and personal jet rides.

December 4, 2020

Man Stabbed to Death at Thanksgiving Dinner

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

The holidays are a stressful time, especially this year with so many facing an uncertain future. On top of that, COVID shutdowns are causing crime to spike all over the country, especially in major cities. Chicago is among the major U.S. cities that have seen spikes in crime during the quarantine. Meanwhile, economic recessions, counterintuitively, cause crime rates to go down.

But COVID has not behaved like an economic recession. In fact, the situation we are still enduring is unprecedented in the last 100 years. Still, the question remains: Why is crime spiking when fewer people are on the street?

Mental Health Issues

December 2, 2020

Judge Blocks Prosecutors From Reversing Convictions

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

Prosecutors and judges are in a squabble over whether or not two men who were convicted of murder should have their sentences vacated and be allowed to go free. The prosecutors were ready and willing to drop the charges against Wayne Antusas and Nicholas Morfin. However, a judge blocked them from doing so after prosecutors agreed that their cases were on shaky ground, and the men were likely convicted unjustly.

Kim Foxx’s State’s Attorney’s Office won reelection after campaigning on a progressive line of overturning wrongful convictions. Cook County, once known as the wrongful conviction capital of the United States, now hopes to be the beacon of the future when it comes to criminal justice.

The Case

November 27, 2020

High School Teacher Fired for Inappropriate Conduct With Students

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

Female teachers having inappropriate relationships with male students grab all the headlines. However, the reverse is actually far more prevalent, and this is perhaps why it grabs fewer headlines than the same type of crime committed by females. Recently, a male teacher at Bartlett High School has been fired after reports surfaced of misconduct with students dating back to 2008. The teacher had been with the school for over 25 years. In this article, we will discuss the circumstances that led to his discharge and arrest.

What Happens Now?

Currently, the situation is still under investigation. The school board reached a unanimous decision to fire the teacher and recommended that his teaching license be revoked. They simultaneously filed reports with the Illinois Department of Children and Families, the Board of Education, and forwarded the results of their investigation to the State’s attorney. Thus far, however, no sex crime charges have been filed. That could change soon.

November 25, 2020

City Official Acquitted in “Road Rage” Incident

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

A road rage incident went way out of control when one of the combatants grabbed the other by the hair and threw her to the ground. The state employee, Keli Calderone, pulled a sidearm that she was licensed to carry and shot the man. That man survived but sustained severe injuries as a result of the incident. Calderone was charged with attempted murder, but later, she was acquitted on the grounds of self-defense. Beforehand, however, Calderone was held before a termination committee to decide whether she was still allowed to work in her capacity with the Office of Emergency Management and Communications. The office rejected her claim of self-defense and terminated her.

The Self-Defense Argument

Self-defense arguments are really easy to make in some states (Florida) and really difficult to make in other states, like Illinois. Calderone was charged with attempted murder, but the judge who presided over her case determined that because she had been thrown to the ground, and was in a vulnerable position that left her subjected to further force, her use of her gun was justified.

November 20, 2020

Police Shut Down Drug Hotline

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

26 Westside residents are facing federal charges related to the operation of a drug hotline. The FBI says that they made numerous purchases of crack-cocaine and fentanyl-laced heroin. The operation began in the summer.

Federal authorities issued a statement that said that they will continue to vigorously prosecute anyone who distributes fentanyl-laced drugs on the streets. Over the summer and early fall, 13 were arrested on drug and weapons charges related to the operation. Another 13 now face charges related to conspiracy, trafficking, and other charges. The complaint names Dexstin Bryant, a 31-year-old from Chicago, as the ringleader. Bryant allegedly distributed 124 grams of fentanyl-mixed heroin and 38 grams of cocaine.

The Convenience of Delivery

November 18, 2020

Former Escort Accused of COVID Relief Scheme

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

Crystal Lundberg told a federal judge that getting charged with wire fraud had changed her life for the better. She said that she found legitimate employment and was growing as a person. But federal authorities have charged Lundberg in another scheme to defraud. This time, the victim was the federal government that disbursed $150,000 in loans to Lundberg’s business to keep her payroll going.

Federal prosecutors now say Lundberg took the loans that were earmarked for COVID relief and spent the money on vacations, legal bills, and other personal expenditures while simultaneously delaying her surrender date to the Bureau of Prisons.

Other problems for Lundberg include Facebook posts she made indicating that her plan was to spend the federal relief money until the feds came and arrested her. Obviously, federal authorities believe that Lundberg wanted one last hurrah before serving her prison sentence.

November 13, 2020

Kane County Sheriff’s Sergeant Charged with Sexual Assault

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

A former Kane County Sheriff’s sergeant is facing sexual assault charges related to his treatment of employees while on the job. Russell Norris, 48, is charged with two counts of attempted criminal sexual assault, six counts of official misconduct, and one count of criminal sexual abuse. All charges are felonies under the law.

According to authorities, Norris, a corrections officer, made unlawful sexual contact with four employees while on duty. At the time, Norris was their supervisor. In July of this year, an employee filed a complaint against him. He was subsequently placed on administrative leave and resigned from the sheriff’s office a month later. Norris joined the department in 1998 and was promoted to sergeant in 2009.

Charge: Attempted Criminal Sexual Assault