Big enough news that it made the ABA Journal. An Assistant Public Defender (APD) here in good ole’ Cook County was disgruntled over a Judges granting of a continuance on a Post Conviction matter. His reaction? To choke the Assistant State’s Attorney (ASA) who was granted the date. A snippet from the article reads:
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Posted Jun 3, 2010, By Martha Neil
“He had his hands wrapped around his throat and was just kind of riding him down the wall,” an unidentified source told the Chicago Tribune.
Another unidentified source said Hams “just lost it and shoved him against the wall” and put his stunned opposing counsel into a headlock after the prosecutor responded unsympathetically to the public defender’s complaint about a status date, the Tribune says.
An unidentified bystander told the Sun-Times that Hams said he was sick of being mocked by the prosecutor. Hams, who obtained a one-year professional boxing license in 2006, was charged aggravated battery in a public place and resisting arrest, according to the Sun-Times….”
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You can read the full article here.
Back in my days as a Cook County ASA, there were a few APD’s who I sparred with and probably thought about slapping about in frustration… Of course we had our disagreements day in and day out while assigned to the same courtroom’s, but it never got that bad that we would get physical over it. It just wasn’t worth it. This APD’s behavior, though — this just smacks of bad judgement. Nothing, I mean, nothing… is that serious to risk losing your law license for….
Most notable about these charges against the APD? That he was charged with Felony Aggravated Battery. Back in my day’s as a Felony Review Assistant, victim’s would have broken orbital bones, bruising, and sometimes bleeding from stab and gunshot wounds… and we were *advised* to reject Felony charges because we couldn’t meet our burden in court….. I don’t want to minimize the gravity of what happened here, and the fact that an officer of the court was the perpetrator is just astounding to me… but Felony Agg Batt charges? Come on. This Chicago Attorney is more than a little a little puzzled by this (but not really all too surprised). It really is all in *who you know*…….
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To learn more about Tatiana Czaplicki and the Law Office of Tatiana D. Czaplicki, PC, go to www.czaplickilaw.com or click here to be redirected automatically. Or, contact me directly at 312.672.9628
Tatiana, people working with the courts get very heated at times but this is just too far. I have to say I have been very lucky with the attorneys that I work with but I have had someone who worked in the probation office threaten to shot me with a gun because I didn’t do everything they wanted me to do and instead thought for myself. I think there are a lot of people who are right on the edge in any field. I do think that those charges seem extreme though. I sought a restraining order and got one and I could have sought terroristic threats charges but sometimes finding less onerous measures is the right decision.