The Chicago Police Department face their fair share of corruption just like any other force across the United States. Unfortunately for their reputation, they have been trying to withhold a terribly racist photograph from the public for the last two years.
In 2013, federal prosecutors fought for the photo depicting officers Jerome Finnigan (pictured left) and Timothy McDermott (pictured right) armed and standing over an unidentified Black man with deer antlers strapped to his head, as to imply they earned their paychecks hunting down African-Americans.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, a federal judge had finally heard enough of the defense’s stalling and ordered the photo to be released, which ultimately was the final blow for their careers in law enforcement that was marred in corruption.
Finnigan was sentenced to 12 years in prison after being convicted of robbery in 2013, where it was discovered he was the Alonzo Harris of a group of dirty cops who burglarized houses on the same streets they were hired to protect. As for McDermott, he was previously summoned to a courtroom on four separate occasions for misconduct where it’s estimated he costed the city hundreds of thousands in damages and legal fees.
And while it’s expected that litigation takes time, the two years it to the photo to be unsealed was largely due to McDermott’s attorney, Daniel Herbert’s outlandish claims of defense as to why the two crooked officers would be posing with a Black man with antlers.
“What’s to say this individual wasn’t performing at a Christmas pageant in the district and was dressed as a reindeer and had taken the reindeer suit off? Again, I don’t mean to make preposterous arguments, but the charges in this case, they warrant that,” he reportedly said in court. He also suggested that the man very well have been a willing participant in the ordeal.
Which is why, so many people say the system is broken. The display of unbelievable abuse of a police uniform is right below for your eyes to witness.
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Photo: Chicago Police Department/Court document
H/T: Slate
