Page 9 - October 2019 FOP

SecondVice President’s Report
Foxx Strikes Again
Mayhem follows release of once-charged men
While Cook County State’s Attorney Kimber- ly Foxx pushes her restorative justice platform, claiming it will not lead to an increase in violence and chaos in the city, police officers know better.
In fact, officers know that her approach to deal- ing — or not dealing — with criminals spells ca- tastrophe for the city and places officers in great physical danger.
The deaths of Jaquan Shockley and Marquise Willis on June 8 is an illuminating example.
At that time, several 15th District tactical officers were on the lookout for Shockley, a known gang member who was wanted on a warrant for violating parole. The fact that Shockley was on parole is itself an indictment of Foxx.
Shockley was originally charged with a host of felonies for an incident in 2018 when he was driving a stolen car. The charges included robbery, armed with a firearm, receiving/possessing stolen property, and the crown jewel charge of them all: at- tempted first-degree murder. And who was the intended victim in the attempted first-degree murder? A police officer. Shockley had apparently attempted to run over a sheriff with the stolen car.
So why was Shockley not waiting in county jail for his case to be processed and tried on such ominous charges? Well, most of the charges against him were dropped, including the attempted murder. This decision by Foxx’s administration was made with- out explanation. It says an awful lot about a prosecutor who drops attempted murder charges when the victim is a police of- ficer without even notifying the police department or the FOP that she is doing so.
With most of the charges dropped, Shockley was paroled and out on the street again.
Here, then, is Foxx’s restorative justice program: She restores the worst criminals right back to the street, even the ones who try to kill the police.
Is there any doubt what happened? Shockley did not obey the conditions of his parole. Why should he? He already knows that the criminal justice system in Cook County is a joke.
A warrant is issued for his arrest. Listed on the warrant is the charge of attempted murder of a police officer, so the police do their thing: Officers in the 15th District who have seen the war- rant are on the lookout for Shockley. They know him well. He’s been arrested more than a dozen times, and he’s a known gang member in the district.
So contrary to what Mayor Lori Lightfoot claimed sever- al months ago — that the police are deliberately not working — three tactical officers went to the area where Shockley was known to hang out. With them was the copy of the warrant for his arrest, which included the attempted murder charge.
At one point, they thought they saw him in the area where he
often hung out. So they returned. When they did, they saw a red Kia quickly leave the scene. The Kia rolled through a stop sign. They pulled up alongside it. Sure enough, they spotted Shockley driving. They all confirmed with each other that it was Shockley.
There was also a passenger in the car. This, too, is important. This passenger was Willis. One year earlier, Willis had been in- dicted for first-degree murder, but the case had been dropped by prosecutors without explanation. That’s not all. At the time Willis was in the car, he was also on bond for felony unlawful use of a weapon.
The two men in the car were a powder keg, a dire threat to the innocent and a clear testament to the legitimacy of Kimberly Foxx’s restorative justice. And they were about to prove it.
But pause for a minute. The two men in the car not only proved the illegitimacy of Foxx’s administration, but they also revealed the dedication and duty of the Chicago police, who time and again had arrested these criminals, only to see them restored to the street.
The three officers got behind Shockley’s car. They attempted to pull him over. Shockley stopped, but as they got out of the car, he took off. The officers pursued. Shockley drove into a CTA car barn, then pulled out onto Pulaski. Here, he took off at 100 mph. The officers concluded the chase was too dangerous and self-terminated it.
Just afterward, Shockley crashed into a guardrail, then swerved into another car in the opposite lane, striking it head- on. This vehicle contained three women. The crash scene was horrific. The officers heard it and pulled up. Shockley was dead on the scene. Willis was taken to the hospital and rushed into surgery, but he died. All three women were taken to the hospital in serious condition. One of the women suffered a broken back.
The officers on the scene comforted the women.
All of this could have been avoided if Kimberly Foxx had just done her job. And this restorative justice that is supposed to help criminals get back into society, how did that work out for Shockley and Willis?
But that’s not the end of it. For their efforts that night, the offi- cers would undergo a vigorous investigation by the City, pains- takingly going over every detail, every decision they made.
And Kimberly Foxx?
She’s busy running for re-election.
MARTIN PREIB
CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ OCTOBER 2019 9