Officer John Haleas is accused of falsifying information in drunk driving arrests. Officers Michael Bernichio and Daniel Murphy are accused of writing up identical drug arrest reports against two men and then picking which one to charge.
The Cook County state's attorney's office says it has dropped 150 DUI cases brought by Haleas. He had been honored for making more DUI arrests than any other police officer in Illinois. Police superintendent Jody Weis says the officers have been stripped of their official powers.
In a proposed class-action lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, Noe Martinez alleged he was arrested for DUI after he left a Chicago tavern but before he had even started up his car. The complaint alleges that Haleas wrote false reports and falsely imprisoned Martinez and others like him. The suit seeks unspecified damages. 'Basically, this officer has manufactured really countless false charges and lied under oath in the prosecution of those charges in literally hundreds of cases,' said Martinez's attorney, Jon Erickson. Martinez was arrested after leaving a Chicago lounge on June 7, according to the suit. He contended he walked to his car in the 2000 block of North Parkside Avenue to use his cell phone and never put the keys in the ignition or drove away. Martinez was approached by Haleas and another officer, handcuffed and placed in a squad car, the suit said. Haleas did not administer a sobriety test until at the Grand Central District police station, Martinez contended, and testing was inconclusive. Martinez was released but still charged with DUI, the suit said. The city's Law Department had no immediate comment. Erickson said he has spoken to 10 others arrested by the same officer who may join the suit. Martinez's own DUI case is pending, but the attorney said his client expects it will be dropped at his next court date. 'I can tell you this officer has created doubt about hundreds of DUI cases pending in our courts,' Erickson said.
http://www.topix.com/chicago/2007/10/lawsuit-targets-cop-tied-to-dropped-dui-cases
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6083970
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