Two Chicago police officers now have their lives on-hold after facing criminal charges.
Charges Faced By Two Chicago Police Officers
Two Chicago police officers, Jeffery Shafer and Victor Guebara, had charges against them dropped just as their trial was about to begin. The two Chicago police officers were accused of beating a teenager during an arrest.
However, the charges against the two Chicago police officers were dismissed because the alleged victim, who is now in his 20s, was no longer cooperating. The state’s attorney’s office stated that they could not meet the burden of proof against the Chicago police officers without the victim’s cooperation.
The Chicago police officers were indicted in September 2021 on charges of aggravated battery and official misconduct following an investigation by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and the police department’s Bureau of Internal Affairs. The incident occurred when the Chicago police officers noticed the teenager driving a stolen car and pursued him.
According to a published article by Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago police officers’ actions were captured by a police surveillance camera and an assisting officer’s body camera, as they had not activated their body-worn cameras.
Both Chicago police officers had been relieved of their police powers after the incident, and they are still awaiting the conclusion of an investigation by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
On-Hold Lives
In a published article by The Pantagraph, the officers had been involved in a chase with the teenager, who was accused of stealing a car and pointing a gun at the police. The alleged beating was captured on body-worn cameras of assisting officers and a nearby camera.
The officers’ attorneys argue that the charges should never have been filed and that the officers’ lives have been on hold since the charges were filed.
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