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Cop Testifies Against Fellow Cop

By Jeralyn, Section Misconduct
Posted on Wed May 09, 2007 at 07:02:00 AM EST
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Who do you believe in a case like this? Where one cop is on trial and a former cop testifies against him, expecting a reduced sentence for his own misdeeds?

A former Chicago police officer testifying against an officer on trial for robbing drug dealers as part of a corrupt ring of Englewood cops was challenged in federal court Tuesday about his own history of crimes.

Corey Flagg testified that he shook down dealers for narcotics and cash while he was on a team of tactical cops, just as defendant Eural Black is accused of doing.

Black's lawyers went for blood as they cross-examined Flagg:

Flagg, who also has pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy, was quickly attacked by defense lawyers and accused of having no credibility. Instead of a potential life term, Flagg could serve just 10 years in prison or even less for helping the government, they pointed out.

Flagg admitted that he expects to get a deal even though he acknowledges taking part in armed robberies, home invasions, falsifying police reports and lying to judges and grand juries while he was with the department.

More...

From the cross-examination of the defense lawyer representing yet another accused cop in the trial:

Flagg told Kling he was unable to give the number of times he lied to judges and grand juries. And Kling asked how many people could be "rotting in jail" on Flagg's word.

When the cross-examination moved to the topic of whether Flagg had been involved in a homicide, the Judge cut off the questioning.

What does a jury glean from all this? That all the cops were dirty, or that one cop who got caught is trying to save himself by selling out a clean cop who worked with him? Obviously, I'm too jaded, but I can't help but wonder what a jury, previously unexposed to this type of misconduct will make of the whole thing.

Does a dirty cop really sell out a clean cop? Or does he, caught in the headlights, just spread the blame to others as dirty as him, in hopes of a shorter sentence?
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    Cop Testifies Against Fellow Cop | 1 comment (1 topical)

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    This scenario (none / 0) (#1)
    by Deconstructionist on Wed May 09, 2007 at 08:04:55 AM EST
      is played out in courts across the country daily (it's just not cops on trial that often). Accomplices and informants testifying against defendants in exchange for leniency is so routine I'm not sure the fact a case involves cops will make a difference to jurors. Is there a qualitiative difference between a "bad cop" testifying against other cops and one  drug dealer testifying against another or one crooked exec testifying against another?

      I will say that I do believe that juries generally are far better than they are often given credit at carefully considering the testimony and the assessing the factors relevant to the credibility of such witnesses.

      No adjudicatory system can be perfect, but given the array of possible variants, I believe the right to trial by jury is the best.

    Cop Testifies Against Fellow Cop | 1 comment (1 topical)

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