Man Charged In Murder Of Police Cmdr. Paul Bauer To Return To Court
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The man charged with killing Chicago Police Cmdr. Paul Bauer was due back in court on Friday, and prosecutors were expected to announce a formal indictment.
Shomari Legghette, 44, has been in custody since Feb. 14, when he allegedly shot and killed Bauer outside the Thompson Center downtown.
Legghette, a four-time felon, has been charged with first-degree murder, and was ordered held without bail.
Bauer, who was commander of the department's 18th District, was dressed in full uniform and sitting in his police vehicle near the Thompson Center on Feb. 14, when he heard police radio reports about a suspect fleeing a street stop by tactical officers in the area, police and prosecutors have said.
A short time later, Bauer spotted Legghette running nearby, so he exited his vehicle and chased Legghette to the plaza outside the Thompson Center and tried to arrest him, but Legghette struggled with him, and fell down the stairs, according to Foxx.
Bauer either fell down the stairs with Legghette or followed him down, and the two continued to struggle on the lower landing, where Legghette pulled out a gun and fired seven shots, hitting Bauer six times in the head, neck, torso, back, and wrist.
Nearby officers arrested Legghette within seconds of the shooting, and recovered a 9 mm handgun with an extended clip from his coat pocket, authorities have said. Police also recovered heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and a "sharp object" he was carrying. He also was wearing ballistic body armor.
Leghette was being held a the Kankakee County Jail. It's fairly common for defendants in high-profile cases to be transferred out of the Cook County Jail while awaiting trial.