Chicago police officer William Cozzi, 52, has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for beating a stabbing victim who was handcuffed to a wheelchair. The attack was caught on video.
Cozzi previously pleadd guilty and admitted that he “lost it” when he attacked 60-year-old Randle Miles, 62, who was handcuffed and shackled to a wheelchair at the time. The attack with his baton is shown on the video below. He pleaded guilty to a civil rights violation.
What is odd is that Cozzi was only sentenced previously to a misdemeanor battery. What does it take to convict a police officer of a felony. Yet, the victim should be satisfied that there was any charge at all given the treatment of a recent case of a Chattanooga police officer.
Cozzi received 18 months’ probation. The case was later referred to the federal prosecutors for a civil rights investigation.
Cozzi says that Miles had become “combative” and simply “I made a mistake. I should not have hit him because he was handcuffed and secured.”
After shackling the man’s legs to the wheelchair, he hit him with a sap (similar to blackjack). Officers have complained that Cozzi was being treated badly and that his case should not have been referred to the FBI by Superintendent Jody Weis after his light probation sentence,
His attorney, Terence Gilespie complained “This is a message to all those officers in blue out there that after 15 years on the job you’ll get thrown under the bus.” Well, at least he was not in a wheelchair at the time.
For the ful story, click here.
Kudos: Big Fella
I guess for a police officer, being held responsible for illegal and barbaric behavior is being “thrown under the bus.” What a sense of entitlement they have!
It is amazing that this officer only received the misdemeanor sentence in State court. I am surprised at Gillespie’s comments because he has always been rational. I understand he is defending his client, but the trial was over and his statements are not only untrue, but inflammatory.
Well Mespo, sir how does your garden grow?
AY:
Sorry I missed your post. I am well just trying to keep the law office straight after some interminable depositions.
Back in the day of no video,A freind said he expierienced the “phone book” on the head beat down.
He said man there were no scars but my head was banging like you wouldn’t believe.
Good Morning Mespo, How goes the day on the sauntering east coast?
I am equally impressed that the other officers, sworn to uphold the law and protect the public, intervened to help the shackled victim and save him from this vicious battery–not.
I find these videos interesting. Did you see the African American boy in the background? He saw the mistreatment, then hid behind the wall when the cop turned around to look for people, probably out of fear of retaliation by the cop for witnessing this crime.
Makes me feel safe. But I do have a problem with both the Federal Prosecution and State Prosecution. It still smells of a Violation of the Guarantee against Double Jeopardy.