State’s attorney drops felony charges against Harvey alderwoman
At a court hearing Wednesday, the Cook County State’s Attorney Office dropped felony battery charges against Ald. Colby Chapman (2nd) pertaining to an alleged assault of a Harvey police officer in April.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office dropped felony battery charges against Ald. Colby Chapman (2nd) Wednesday at a court hearing.
Harvey police arrested Chapman last month for allegedly assaulting an officer at a City Council meeting in April.
This was the fourth time Harvey police have arrested Chapman and the state’s attorney — under two different administrations, Kim Foxx and Eileen O’Neill Burke — moved to drop charges.
Chapman, a vocal critic of the mayor, has maintained it’s a form of political retaliation.
“The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office needs to stop impeding the work and effectiveness of the Harvey Police Department,” said Harvey Police Chief Biddings in a news release Monday denouncing the expected decision.
He added: “This cycle of arrest, dismissal, and silence is a waste of time, taxpayer dollars, and precious resources, turning justice into political theater. There is never any justification for anyone, especially an elected official, to assault a police officer.”
The statement added that elected officials are not above the law.
But under the Clark administration and Biddings’ leadership of Harvey police, police and city officials have themselves repeatedly railroaded the constitution, attempted to frame people for crimes they have not committed, harassed the mayor’s critics, and reified Harvey’s position as one of the Southland’s most corrupt municipalities.
At the direction of Mayor Chris Clark, Harvey police officers have repeatedly been weaponized against residents in recent months to retaliate against critics. The Clark administration has been the center of multiple protests and demonstrations condemning attacks on free speech, alleged extortion of local businesses, delinquent state-mandated audits, and homophobia.
The state’s attorney’s decision has struck the ire of Mayor Chris Clark, who called a press conference Monday at the Harvey Police Department headquarters to denounce the decision to drop charges.
Police brass and several city council members were in attendance.
This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.
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