Dorian Recalls 'Nightmare' Of Being Wrongly Charged As 'Honeybee Killer'
CHICAGO (CBS) -- He was thrown in jail, accused of being the "Honeybee Killer." Now, he's fighting back.
Brian Dorian is now suing Will County for $10 million for being wrongly arrested and charged with another man's crimes. He vented his frustration on Tuesday in an exclusive interview with CBS 2's Vince Gerasole.
He said he provided police with an alibi, but that authorities did not check that alibi before charging him.
"When someone waives their rights to an attorney and talks to you and gives you their alibi and what they were doing, you don't charge somebody with murder without even looking into their alibi," Dorian said.
A sense of injustice still haunts Dorian.
Last October, the so called "Honeybee Killer" went on a two-state shooting spree, killing one man. Dorian, a Lynwood police officer, was brought in for questioning by Will County authorities, charged with murder and held for four days.
"It was rough. It was harder knowing the first time I talked to my family and them saying how the media was just everywhere. Now I know, then, that this is a nightmare," Dorian said. "Talking to my family on the phone, hearing my 10-year-old niece can't even get on the phone, because she's crying; she couldn't say nothing to me. And all because, why? I don't know. Those answers are what I am seeking."
Dorian's friends and family actively rallied to his side and, when evidence from his own computer and receipts reveled he was nowhere near the shootings, Will County dropped the charges.
"I feel horrible that Brian Dorian went through this and I certainly would apologize for any inconvenience he has suffered," Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow said after charges were dropped.
"I remember seeing him tell the world that it was an inconvenience, what I went through; it was inconvenience what my family went through, my friends, supporters," Dorian said. "That's his definition? What I went through is an inconvenience?"
Dorian filed a federal lawsuit last week, claiming his arrest was based on information that was coerced and influenced from one of the victims who ran from the killer. That victim gave a physical description of the gunman and the truck used in the killings, but Dorian's suit claims those descriptions didn't match him.
The suit also claims the victim was unduly influenced by sheriff's officers and Will County prosecutors to speculate that Dorian was the gunman.
But Dorian said he doesn't believe he's the only victim of being falsely accused of the shootings.
Last December, Gary Amaya terrorized an Orland Park tanning salon. Customer Jason McDaniel wrestled his gun away, shooting him dead. Authorities said they later determined Amaya was the actual "Honeybee Killer."
"It's my opinion that an apology is owed to Jason McDaniel and those girls, because they were put in harm's way. Somebody owes them an apology," Dorian said.
He is once again on the beat in Lynwood, a path to recovery he takes day by day.
Asked if it was easy to step back into his old life after he was released from jail, Dorian said, "No, no. My feeling towards law enforcement has completely been turned upside down."
"You have this vision of the badge standing for honor and helping people. … I had the same vision … for almost 14 years, this is all I've known," Dorian added. "It's hard when I go into a courtroom for court when it's job related. It's hard every day just putting on the uniform and going to work."
A Will County spokesperson reiterated Tuesday night what was said after the suit was originally filed last week: that the investigation was conducted in good faith and followed the full letter of the law.
Dorian feels otherwise.
