Glenview Police Officer Charged With Perjury

Glenview Police Officer Charged With Perjury

Officer James Horn and three from Chicago are charged with providing false testimony during a 2014 drug investigation.

Four police officers, three from Chicago and one from Glenview, are charged with felony perjury and other charges for lying under oath.

Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez said Chicago Police Sergeant James Padar, Chicago Police Officer William Pruente, Chicago Police Officer Vince Morgan and Glenview Police Officer James Horn lied under oath during a drug investigation last year, according to WGN.

The officers claimed under oath they followed correct procedure when arresting drug suspect Joseph Sperling for marijuana possession, but a video surfaced showing they arrested him before the marijuana was found.

A total of 300 grams of cannabis and 3.7 grams of Psilocybin, a recreational drug commonly known as “mushrooms” were found in the back seat of the vehicle, the complaint states.

Previous reports have indicated two Glenview police officers have collected about $250,000 collectively while on paid leave as part of an investigation into the matter. Village Manager Todd Hileman had written a letter to Alvarez seeking an answer as to why the investigation was taking so long.

The officers turned themselves in to authorities this morning and appeared in bond court at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building in Chicago.

“The foundation of our criminal justice system rests on the concept of truthful testimony. We expect it from our witnesses and we demand it from our police officers,” Alvarez said following the officers’ bond hearing. “Every law enforcement officer holds their powers through the public trust and any officer who lies under oath or makes a false statement on the witness stand violates that trust and is subject to the same legal consequences as any citizen would be.”

A female Glenview Sgt. apparently avoided charges because the video evidence was presented during her testimony in the midst of Sperling’s defense motion to quash the evidence against him and the Sgt. had admitted all police versions of the event up to that point had been false, according to the State’s Attorney’s complaint issued Monday.

The Chicago Police Department released the following statement after the charges were announced, WGN reported.

“Chicago Police Officers are expected to maintain the highest level of integrity at all times. The Department immediately launched an internal investigation and relieved the involved officers of their police powers upon learning of the disturbing allegations. The CPD will continue to fully cooperate with the CCSAO. The officers remain assigned to administrative duties pending the outcome of the investigation.”

Glenview Police Chief William Fitzpatrick announced later Monday his department will formally initiate an internal administrative investigation “pursuant to the police conduct rules effective immediately.”

“The departmental internal investigation was put on hold when Assistant State’s Attorney Delaney reached out to Chief Fitzpatrick on April 7, 2014 requesting a delay in Glenview’s investigation to enable the State’s Attorney’s office to complete their criminal investigation unimpeded,” he said.