The [Friday] Papers

Here we go again . . .

"Chicago police officer who fatally shot a baseball bat-wielding college student and accidentally killed his neighbor in December did not initially tell investigators that the teen had swung the bat at his head, police reports obtained by the Tribune show."

"It wasn't until Officer Robert Rialmo was re-interviewed two days after the Dec. 26 shooting that he first alleged 19-year-old Quintonio LeGrier had twice tried to hit him with the aluminum bat - once with a downward swing and again with a backward swipe - before the officer opened fire, according to a detective's supplemental report.

"In an earlier statement the morning of the shooting, Rialmo had said only that LeGrier had the bat raised over his head and refused commands to drop it."

It is simply inconceivable that when being interviewed, the first thing out of an officer's mouth wouldn't be "He swung the bat at me." Especially in the post-Laquan McDonald environment Rialmo was operating in.

*

"Basileios Foutris, who represents LeGrier's father, Antonio, in a wrongful death lawsuit against the officer and the city, said the differing statements showed Rialmo was adding details to justify the use of force."

It would certainly seem so.

"Foutris noted that in a counterclaim filed earlier this year against the teen's estate alleging emotional trauma, Rialmo gave an even more vivid account of the alleged attack, describing how he felt the whoosh of air as the bat passed inches from his head."

*

"But Rialmo's lawyer, Joel Brodsky, said it's 'not surprising' for police to initially write down a more bare-bones version and then come back later with more details."

The actual threat that would justify shooting someone is not a detail - it's the whole enchilada. It's the everything. The color of the bat is a detail.

*

"Brodsky also said Rialmo has told him he believes he did mention the bat swing in the first interview and that the detective taking the report may have just neglected to write it down."

We'll have to see what that detective has to say about that, but again, that would be the first thing you write down.

*

"'The second time is when you get all those little details,' Brodsky said."

Again, the threat is not a little detail, but what the whole case turns on.

*

"At noon on Dec. 28, more than 48 hours after the shooting, Rialmo returned to the Area North police headquarters to 'clarify details,' the reports state."

Like the part about Quintonio LeGrier swinging a bat at him. Turns out he did, Rialmo remembered.

*

"Rialmos' partner, Anthony La Palermo, also gave two statements to investigators, records show. In both interviews, he said he was looking down at the steps as he stood behind Rialmo and never saw LeGrier swing the bat."

Are you sure you don't want to clarify that, Anthony?

*

"Joel Brodsky, an attorney for Rialmo, said his client had not changed his story," the Sun-Times reports.

"The police reports are summaries of detectives' interviews with Rialmo, Brodsky said, and might leave out details that the officer provided."

A detective who would leave out the part where LeGrier swung a bat at the officer would be the worst detective in the world.

-

The Beachwood Radio Hour #94: The Adam LaRouche Affair
Is in post-production.

-

The Week In Chicago Rock
Is in pre-production.

-

Beachwood Photo Booth: Knock Knock
Well look who's here!

-

Triton Advances To Final Four
Takes on South Suburban College tonight.

-

BeachBook

*

*

*

*

-

TweetWood
A sampling.

Enough about Merrick Garland's comic book collection, for Christ's sake. #journalism

— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) March 18, 2016

*

Oh god. This was a real question in the Arkansas-Little Rock press conference. (@asapsports) pic.twitter.com/WIWC1jgni1

— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) March 18, 2016

*

Are you a young black man who got screwed by the policies of the Secretary of Education? @arneduncan wants to help. https://t.co/mUKELCh6xO

— VoldemortForMayor (@Voldemort4Mayor) March 17, 2016

-

The Beachwood Tip Line: Little details welcome.

© 2006 - 2021, The Beachwood Media Company