Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Chicago Cops Cause DUI Cases to Disappear
San Diego California DUI defense lawyer info
Lawsuit targets cop tied to dropped DUI cases
Class-action status sought in U.S. court
October 30, 2007
A Chicago police officer whose alleged misconduct has caused dozens of DUI cases to be dismissed was sued Monday by a man he arrested last summer.
Officer John Haleas was disciplined this month for failing to follow procedures in a DUI stop, leading to 50 cases being dropped by Cook County prosecutors.
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.
In reports filed in the case, Haleas alleged Martinez was driving and refused to take a breath test.
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.
Police have said Haleas was given a one-day suspension and was reassigned to desk duty. He had been honored as one of the leading officers in Illinois in the number of DUI arrests logged.
Lawsuit targets cop tied to dropped DUI cases
Class-action status sought in U.S. court
October 30, 2007
A Chicago police officer whose alleged misconduct has caused dozens of DUI cases to be dismissed was sued Monday by a man he arrested last summer.
Officer John Haleas was disciplined this month for failing to follow procedures in a DUI stop, leading to 50 cases being dropped by Cook County prosecutors.
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.
In reports filed in the case, Haleas alleged Martinez was driving and refused to take a breath test.
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.
Police have said Haleas was given a one-day suspension and was reassigned to desk duty. He had been honored as one of the leading officers in Illinois in the number of DUI arrests logged.
# posted by SanDiegoDUI @ 7:54 PM 
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