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BULLS TODAY, AND A MO TOWN
CRITICS OF THE CHICAGO
POLICE DEPARTMENT SAY IF MORE
COPS WERE PROSECUTED WHEN
MISCONDUCT OCCURS, IT WOULD
HELP CLEAN UP THE DEPARTMENT.
THE BETTER GOVERNMENT
ASSOCIATION AND 2 INVESTIGATOR
PAM ZEKMAN FOUND A CASE THAT
RAISES LOTS OF QUESTIONS.
51st STREET.
Reporter: THIS DASH CAM
VIDEO SHOWS THE POLICE CHASE
AND ARREST OF 36-YEAR-OLD RAN
ALLEN HANKERSON, CHARGED WITH
29 FELONY COUNTS, INCLUDING
ATTEMPTED ***, AND ARMED
ROBBERY, FOR A LIQUOR STORE
STICK-UP.
IF A POLICE OFFICER LIES IN
A CRIMINAL CASE, THEN POTENTIAL
CRIMINALS ARE ALLOWED TO GO
FREE.
Reporter: AND THAT'S WHAT
APPEARS TO HAVE HAPPENED IN
THIS CASE.
LISTEN, AS OFFICER ALLISON
BADELLA CALLS A COLLEAGUE.
WE COULDN'T PICK HIM OUT OF
THE PICTURES THAT WE GAVE HIM.
IT COULD HAVE HELPED THE
DEFENSE.
BUT THE OFFICER LATER TESTIFIED
UNDER OATH DURING A PRETRIAL
MOTION HEARING THAT SHE NEVER
SHOWED THE VICTIM THE PHOTO
ARRAY.
WHEN ASKED, DID THE PHOTO ARRAY
OCCUR, SHE ANSWERED NO.
IT WAS IMMEDIATELY APPARENT
THAT SHE HAD LIED BECAUSE THE
VIDEO, WHERE SHE DISCUSSES THE
PHOTO ARRAY, WAS PLAYED IN OPEN
COURT.
JUST BEFORE THE TRIAL, SHE
ADMITTED LYING, AND THE CHARGES
AGAINST HANKERSON WERE DROPPED.
ACCORDING TO A SUBSEQUENT
PERJURY INVESTIGATION, OFFICER
BEGALIC SAYS SHE TOLD TWO
SERGEANTS AND A LIEUTENANT
ABOUT THE LIE.
AND THEY TOLD HER TO SAY
NOTHING.
THIS EPITOMIZES THE CODE OF
SILENCE THAT WE HAVE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT FOR THE LAST FEW
MONTHS SINCE THE LAQUAN
McDONALD SHOOTING.
THIS IS AN EPIDEMIC IN THIS
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IT IS PART OF THE CULTURE.
EVEN THOUGH AN CONSISTENT
INDICTED HER FOR PERJURY, THE
STATE ATTORNEY ANITA ALVAREZ
DECIDED NOT TO PROSECUTE THE
CASE.
WHAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE OF
WHAT THIS SHOWS ABOUT THE STATE
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THEIR
PROSECUTION OF POLICE OFFICERS?
WELL, WHEN THE CITY IS
CONCERNED, WITH ANITA ALVAREZ,
SHE HAS AN UNEVEN RECORD.
OVER THE PAST SEVEN-PLUS
YEAR, ALVAREZ HAS PROSECUTED 36
CHICAGO POLICE OFFICERS FOR
CRIMES OR MISCONDUCT.
AND 60 SUBURBAN STATE OR COUNTY
POLICE OFFICERS.
MORE, THE SPOKESPERSON SAYS,
THAT ANY PREVIOUS STATE'S
ATTORNEY.
CRITICS DISAGREE.
I BLAME ONE PERSON, ONE
GROUP, ONE OFFICE FOR THE
PROLIFERATION OF POLICE LYING
IN THIS CITY AND THAT IS THE
STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
ALVAREZ'S TOP AIDE SAID IT
WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO PROSECUTE
HER WITHOUT COOPERATION FROM
HER PARTNER AND IT SEEMED
UNJUST TO HOLD TER CRIMINALBLY
ACCOUNTABLE WHEN SHE --
CRIMINALLY ACCOUNTABLE WHEN SHE
CAME FORWARD AND OTHER OFFICERS
INVOLVED WALKED AWAY.
BEGALIC DID NOT RETURN OUR
CALLS, NOW ON DESK DUTY PENDING
THE OUTCOME OF A POLICE
CRIMINAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATION,
AND THAT INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN
GOING ON FOR THREE YEARS.
THREE YEARS.
WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG?
I KNOW WE HAVE ASKED THIS