RAT by BRIAN R. LUNDIN (13 ebook reader TXT) 📖

the Commander’s bag lady. When the letter was published Cecilia was devastated some of her closes female and male friends in the district and outside avoided her and her mother was worried. Cecilia contacted Watson.
“I’m through, this is too much!”
“Ok, Cecilia only thing we got to do to end this is gets Commander O’Shea.”
Watson, Luden and White met in the Task Force offices in the Federal building.
“That article in the Sun-Times has shook up Cecilia and she’s ready to give it up, so we’re got to move fast.”
“I doubt if Commander O’Shea ever made any collections so any evidence will have to come from other police officers. We know that Sergeant Romano was his bag man and after he got sick Sergeants Eppilito and Novakski made the collections, so we can try to turn one of them.”Luden
said
“Also I had a meeting with members of the Black Tavern Owners Association complaining about shake downs from the two sergeants so we got them on violating the Hobbs Act plus we have tapes of Officer Throop and Starks robbing drug dealers.” Watson said.
“Well I think we’ve got enough to convene a Grand Jury.”
“Let’s go for it!”
Since the printing of the anonymous letter Commander Watson was swamped with complains; prostitutes alleged that they had force to have sex in the squad car to prevent arrest, citizens told of being intimidated into pay-off for alleged traffic violations, drug dealers complained of being robbed by police officers, gamblers told of how they were forced into joining the commanders club and bar owners told of being forced to pay to avoid police harassment and license checks.
“We also have tapes of Officer Throop and Starks robbing drug dealers. “
We also have tapes of Officer Throop and Starks robbing drug dealers.


TWENTY-FIVE

The duty of a grand juries is to investigate whether enough evidence of a
crime exists to bring someone to trial. Grand juries carry out this duty by
examining evidence presented to them by a prosecutor and issuing indictments,
or by investigating alleged crimes and issuing presentments. A grand jury
is traditionally larger than and distinguishable from the petit jury used during a
trial, with at least 12 jurors. A grand jury does not require a suspect be notified of
the proceedings, and grand juries can be used for filing charges in the form of
a sealed indictment against unaware suspects to be arrested later by
a surprise police visit. Grand juries consist of fifteen persons who satisfy
the qualifications of a juror. The Grand Jury consisted of seven men three black
two whites and two Hispanics. There were four white, two black women and two Hispanics women. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian Luden started preparing for the Grand Jury and examination of the witnesses. The tavern owners, gamblers and even drug dealers. Under oath the planned questioning would consist of asking each person his involvement with the Commander’s Club and to reveal any knowledge he had of corruption in the district including shake-downs of taverns, gamblers, drug dealers, etc. Commander O’Shea, Captain John Nash and Captain Ronald Royce Watch Commanders, Field Lieutenants Hollis Wills and William Hicks, Beat Sergeants Duaral Hollis, Dennis Tykes, Angelo Williamson, James Louis, Thomas Ryan, Reginald Hill. Of the twelve police officers in the Vice Unit only Sergeants Romano, Eppilito and Novakski and vice men Clyde Owens, Claude Wills, Henry Stone, Anthony Duggan, Willie Hillary, John Steele, James Alexander and Leonard Skins were all indicted and charged with violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO, is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing organization. The RICO Act focuses specifically on racketeering, and it allows for the leaders of a syndicate to be tried for the crimes which they ordered others to do or assisted them, closing a perceived loophole that allowed someone who told a man to, for example, murder, to be exempt from the trial because they did not actually do it. Owens, Wills, Stone, Duggan, Hillary, Steele, Alexander where part of the club and were all indicted and arrested except Sergeant Romano. Commander O’Shea visited Romano at his home. The sergeant was in the bed breathing oxygen.
“How you feeling?”
“Not good the doc said I had liver cancer and it don’t look good. Whatsup I heard we have been indicted?”
“Lot of bullshit, they are just searching for something, you know the fuckin’ feds they get their nuts off fuckin’ with the police.
“You talked with any of the other guys?”
“Naw, they’re scattered all over the place and the Watch “Commanders, lieutenants and some sergeants and patrolmen have been indicted. Some were reassigned to IID and other places,”
“I got a call from that nigger Watson he wanted me to come into for an interview but I told him I was too sick and couldn’t make it.”
“Fuck them cocksuckers; I contacted my lawyer, fuckem!”

Prior to the opening of the trial Luden decided to interview Officer James Steele who was on audio and video tape accepting pay-off from Cecilia and was schedule to retire in one year. In his office Watson, FBI agent White and Luden met with Officer Steele. Watson recalled that he had worked with Steele in the 3rd District years ago.
“Whatsup, Louis what is this all about?”
“It’s about taking dirty money Jimmy and the Commander’s Club!”
“What’s that got to do with me?”
“Officer Steele we have you on audio and video taking pay-offs at the hardware store,” Luden said.
The officer bit his lips and starting sweating.
“We’re offering you a way to help yourself.”
“What do you want me to do?”
Tell us everything you know about the Commander’s Club! Watson answered.
“You mean to become a rat?”
“If that’s what you want to call it!” White said.
The officer look pleading at Watson, tears were forming.
“Louis I due to retire at the end of the years!”
In a quiet voice Watson said.
“I know!”
“If you cooperate with us, I can grant you immunity, it will keep you out of the penitentiary.”Luden said
“What about my pension?”
“That will be up to O.W.,” Watson said.

TWENTY-SIX

Preparing for the trial was tedious, Luden had two assistants a young very pretty black woman named Silvia Rooks and a young white man, Hosea Sanders. Not only was it necessary to prep Officers Steele and Eppilito so they would be able to relate to the jury the pattern of corruption in the district but the owners of the taverns had to be prepared and he had knew the defense attorneys would claim that they’re clients were entrapped. Luden knew he had to be careful of overkill, presenting too much evidence and too many witnesses. His entire case depended on convincing the jury that there was widespread corruption in the 2nd Police District and O’Shea knew and participated in it. On a hot and humid day on 5 June 1970 the trial started. Judge Judith Campbell would preside over the trial. Judge Campbell was a small black woman that grew up in Meridian, Mississippi. Her father worked as a mail carrier and her mother was a housewife. Judith was an excellent student and received a scholarship to Harvard where she graduated with honors from its law school. After law school she worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Fifth District that included her home state and successfully prosecuted members of the Mississippi State Police convicted of shaking down female drivers for money and sex. Five years later she was appointed a federal judge by the President of the United States. Judge Campbell was highly respected by lawyers and federal prosecutors for her fairness and business-like manner but they knew she wouldn’t tolerate distortion of the evidence by either side. She denied a request from one of the defense attorneys that Chicago Police Department Rule #51 that stated that any officer who took the Fifth Amendment could be suspended or discharged from the department. The judge also ruled over the objections of the defense attorneys that since was a conspiracy case the defendants would be tried together. The jury selection did not pose any problems and lasted a week. Relatives or friends of police officers or tavern owners were excluded. The jury was a mixture of men and women, city dwellers and people that lived in the suburbs and blue and white-collar workers. The jury consisted of five black men, two black women, four white men and one Chinese-American and four alternates. The trial was held in the Seventh District Court located on the fourteenth floor in Room 1404 of the Federal Building. Room 1404 had a high ceiling and dimly lit. Counsel, jury and spectators were separated by an enclosed area for the court reporters, marshal and clerk. The seats in the rear or gallery were reserved for court watchers, friends and relatives of the defendants. Court artists were there to sketch the main events and main characters for the evening news and reporters sat ready to record every important word. All of the defendants were plainly and neatly attired but Commander O’Shea retained noted criminal lawyer Nolan Swan a veteran criminal defense lawyer from New York, a former Assistant United States Attorney and a graduate of Yale Law School. Nolan was a tall, lean, grey haired man who conveyed confidence.

TWENTY-SEVEN

The two Watch Commanders, lieutenants, sergeants, vice officer and patrolman had retained local attorneys and sat together at the defendants table. The court was informed that Sergeant Romano had been hospitalized and according to his doctor’s was too ill to attend the proceedings. Luden, White, Watson, Rooks, Sanders sat at the prosecution table. Luden called his first witness Officer Steele entered, was sworn in and sat down.
“Will you state your name, age and occupation please?”
“James Steele, fifty-one and I’m a Chicago Police Officer.”
“Officer Steele are you familiar with the Commander’s
Club in the 2nd Police District?”
“Yes sir.”
“Will you tell this jury what the commander’s Club is
and how it operates?”
“The Commander’s Club is controlled by the District
Commander that receives money from illegal operations in
the district.”
“What type of illegal operations would be part of the
Commander’s Club?”
“Large policy wheels and syndicate wire rooms, large policy
stations and after-hour joints.”
“Were you a part of the Commander’s Club?”
Steele took a sip of water.
“Yes sir.”
“How much was you paid as a member of the club?”
“Two hundred and fifty dollars a month.”
“What was your assignment in the 2nd District police station?”
“I was assigned to the vice unit.”
“What were your duties?”
“I investigated vice complaints, gambling, prostitution, narcotics and liquor law violations, but I mainly dealt with gamblers.”
“How were you paid off and by whom?”
“I was paid off once a month at a hardware store in the district and at first it was the Vice Coordinator Sergeant Romano but he got sick and Officer Cecilia Went took his place.”
“Thank you Officer Steele.”
Steele left the stand and the judge called a ten minute recess. When they returned to the court room all concerned were informed by the Court Security Officer that the judge had adjourned the trial until tomorrow morning at eight. As he was leaving the court room Watson looked at the family of the defendants. Their mothers, sisters and wife were wiping tears away. All of the indicted officer’s family members and friends were seated in the visitor’s gallery. What a shame he thought these police officers had dishonored not only