CHICAGO -- The judge set to preside over the arraignment for a Chicago police officer accused of manufacturing charges and police reports had to recuse himself on Friday.
Officer John Haleas, 37, who was indicted on multiple counts of official misconduct, perjury and obstruction of justice, was to make his first appearance in the Cook County Criminal Courthouse on Friday morning, but the assigned judge, Thomas Gainer, recused himself, citing previous interaction with the defendant in traffic court.
Haleas also has been sued in federal court by a man he arrested."A lot of people are standing behind him, including myself. And again, I can't reiterate enough: he is a very honorable young man and I don't think these charges are going to be proven," said Haleas' attorney, Robert Kuzas.Haleas was honored three times by the Schaumburg-based Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists as the police officer with the most DUI busts in Illinois. But last October, the state's attorney's office dropped about 50 DUI cases in which Haleas had been the arresting officer -- and said as many as 500 cases could be in jeopardy.A new judge should be assigned to the case next week.
