Minnesota, eh? How're ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm once they've seen Karl Hungus?
Posted on 03/31/2004 4:50:01 AM PST by Thebaddog
The Minnesota attorney general is backing off charges Chicago police brutalized his daughters during a weekend fracas, in an effort to put the allegations behind them and get the issue out of the public spotlight.
The family is pulling back on the advice of their Chicago lawyer, former Illinois Attorney General Tyrone Fahner, who also was lead prosecutor in the 1982 Tylenol-poisoning case that left seven Chicago area people dead.
Fahner said he contacted the head of the Chicago Police Department's Office of Professional Standards to tell her the family wanted to put the matter behind them.
"I called and told her that after consulting with my clients we do not intend to pursue any action against the officers," said Fahner, an attorney at Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw. "There is plenty of embarrassment and remorse to go around.
"My advice to General Hatch and his daughters is to try to resolve this quickly without any more 'Who said this?' or 'Who did that?' and let them get on with their life."
Fahner, who has met Mike Hatch at national conferences, said the family was regretful of what happened early Saturday when Hatch's two daughters were celebrating a 21st birthday.
According to police, Anne Hatch, 21, and Elizabeth Bell Hatch, 22, were partying at the Crobar nightclub when the pair became belligerent and refused to leave the area after being bounced from the club. Police said Elizabeth Hatch charged a squad car and struck an officer in the face, knocking off the officer's glasses.
As officers tried to put Elizabeth Hatch into the squad, police said, her sister struck an officer in the face. When Anne Hatch was put into the squad car she kicked the rear passenger-side window, causing it to break, police said.
The two were released from jail Saturday afternoon to seek treatment for injuries suffered in the brawl. They were charged with misdemeanors, including assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest and damaging a police car.
They are scheduled to appear in court May 5, Taylor said.
Fahner said the Hatch family was willing to pay any costs that may be associated with the damaged property and are hoping to resolve the matter, preferably out of court, before the trial date.
"We'll give the appropriate apologies and they will be more than heartfelt,"said Fahner.
He also said a recording made by one of Anne Hatch's friends, which allegedly contains the voice of a police officer cursing at the sisters and telling them they had no rights, was useless and would not be used for any legal purposes.
Fahner said the pair were ashamed because they are both interested in law enforcement. Elizabeth Hatch is a senior majoring in criminal justice at Gustavus Adolphus College, a church-related, liberal arts college rooted in its Swedish and Lutheran heritage in St. Peter, Minn. Anne Hatch studies at DePaul University and hopes to become a police officer.
The run-in with the Chicago police isn't the first time one of the Hatch daughters has been in trouble with the law.
Anne Hatch was arrested nearly three years ago in Minnesota after she tried to use an older sister's identification to buy beer. Hatch, then 18, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor public nuisance and paid a $100 fine and $250 restitution for a broken sign, a police report said.
Police cited Hatch for use of another's driver's license, underage attempt to buy alcohol and misdemeanor damage to property. In a plea agreement later that summer, two charges were dropped and she pleaded guilty to public nuisance.
Minnesota, eh? How're ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm once they've seen Karl Hungus?
No, no, no, they should be prosecuted just like drunken and violent men.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.