City Moves To Fire Two Chicago Cops In Case Tainted By One Officer's Perjury
The Chicago police department is moving to fire two police officers for alleged misconduct following a CBS 2 and Better Government Association investigation.
As Pam Zekman and the BGA previously reported, police dashcam video shows two officers chasing 36-year-old Ranceallen Hankerson, a suspect in a 2010 armed robbery and shooting a food and liquor store.
One of the officers -- Allyson Bogdalek -- called a supervisor about a photo lineup with the shooting victim, reporting, "We did a photo array. He couldn't pick him out of the pictures that we gave him."
Bogdalek later allegedly lied in court and said there was never a photo array, according to a transcript of her testimony during a pre-trial hearing. When shown the videotape, Bogdalek testified that she simply "forgot" about the photo array failure to identify the defendant.
"It basically is concealing evidence that is favorable to the defense," said Hankerson's attorney, Nicholas Grapsas. "That basically is a violation of his constitutional right."
Just before the trial was set to begin, Bogdalek admitted she had not been truthful and Cook County States Attorneys' Office dismissed the case.
"The defendant went free," said BGA investigator Andrew Schroeder. "We have a victim who was shot in the leg. The victim never saw anyone brought to justice for this crime."
Bogdalek has been on desk duty for four years. She resigned this week, apparently to avoid facing a hearing before the Police Board for violating department rules.
Although she avoids a hearing, a spokesman said, records will reflect the violations she faced at the time and "she will not be eligible for law enforcement credentials anywhere."
A police spokesman also says the department will seek disciplinary action against her partner, Dominick Cantinella, for his role in the alleged cover-up. He has been stripped of his police powers and is on desk duty.
"But for you and the BGA doing this story there would be no disciplinary action forthcoming," Grapsas said. "And I am certain of that."
Neither Bogdalek or Cantinella returned phone calls seeking comment.
The police department would not comment on the case. But in a written statement for the superintendent, a spokesperson said: "Chicago police officers take an oath to serve and protect all residents with courtesy, professionalism, and trust. When this sacred trust is broken, those responsible must be held fully accountable, as the effectiveness of the department is only as strong as the faith the public has in it."
