(CHICAGO) — A seven-time convicted felon accused of killing a Chicago police officer and critically wounding another is set to face a judge this morning. The case against 26-year-old Alphanso Talley is intensifying scrutiny of Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the SAFE-T Act, which eliminated cash bail.
Talley was out on electronic monitoring at the time of Saturday’s shooting despite four pending felony cases. Prosecutors say he was re-arrested that morning for armed robbery, when he claimed he swallowed narcotics to get to a hospital and then allegedly concealed a gun and opened fire when officers uncuffed him for a CT scan. Officer John Bartholomew, a 10-year veteran, husband, and father, was killed. A second officer remains in critical condition.
Talley now faces 20 new felony charges. Cook County’s top prosecutor is joining the outcry of police and local leaders, calling the electronic monitoring program “broken.” Critics blame the SAFE-T Act, while Pritzker points to “a bad decision by an elected judge” who freed Talley despite his violent history.
