Drunk Chicago Cop Threatens Cabbie at Gunpoint . . . So Colleagues Give Him Back His Gun and Release Him Without Charges

Chicago police officer John Killackey, 32, will only receive probation and community service after pulling a gun on a cabbie during a fare dispute. Critics have charged that the sentence for aggravated assault and theft was too light — though he only faced a one year maximum jail sentence. This is because he was only charged with two misdemeanors.

Killackey is the son of a Chicago police commander and was given 18 months of supervision and 60 hours of community service today.

Killackey reportedly refused to pay for a six-minute fare from a nightclub to his house. When the cabbie demanded $8, he reportedly said “I don’t owe you shit” and pulled a gun from his waistband and pointed it at the cabbie. He then allegedly said “Either I don’t owe you shit or you get out of the car and see what happens.”

Killackey left the cab and collapsed in the street. Three officers arrived and discovered that he was a cop. What is truly amazing is that commanding officer, Sgt. Robert Peabody, arrived at the scene, he handed Killackey back his gun and badge and let him go. He refused to give Clermont the chance to file a complaint.

What is astonishing is not just the lack of any jail time but there is no mention of any discipline of the commanding officer. He was confronted with a citizen who claims that an officer threatened him at gunpoint and then proceeds to give the drunk officer back his weapon and files no charges.

This is only the latest in a series of recent drunk officer cases, here and here and here and here and here.

Chicago particularly has had a spate of such cases, here and here and here and here (non-drinking case) and here and here.

Source: Sun Times