Testimony resumes in civil suit regarding ex-cop who beat bartender
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By Anita Padilla, FOX 32 News reporter - bio | email
CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -
Are Chicago cops covering for their own? Key testimony was underway Wednesday in a civil suit surrounding a videotaped beating that Anthony Abbate was convicted for.
The victim, female bartender Karolina Obrycka, could take the stand Wednesday in the civil suit's federal hearing. If she does, she is expected to point the finger at the Chicago Police Department to indicate a cover up.
Abbate was not in court Wednesday. After the conclusion of his Tuesday testimony, he is not required to appear in court.
Then head of the police department's Office of Professional Standards (OPS) Michael Duffy took the stand Wednesday to testify as a witness about the events that took place immediately after the police department saw the recorded beating.
When Duffy saw the video, he said he immediately called the State's Attorney's Office and then police superintendent Phil Klein. Duffy then went upstairs to another room to watch the video. Klein was not present, but several other important people were there. Klein also directed then head of the Internal Affairs division, Deborah Kirby, to give assistance to the OPS for the investigation.
One of the two officers who responded to Jesse's Shortstop Bar also took the stand Wednesday. The officer testified Wednesday that he believed everything Obrycka told him - that she was the victim and she was sober. The court saw the video tape during his testimony. He said there were other people in the bar, but they were intoxicated so he didn't put some of their details into his report.
The officer did say that Obrycka told him there was a camera recording everything that took place during that night. He testified that did not put that in the police report and that action was something that the officer regrets.
Incidentally, the officer's partner - who was also there - did testify that the beaten bartender told him the name of the officer. At the time, Obrycka said she believed his name to be Abbate, and gave him different versions of that name. He testified that he did not put that information into the report either.
Testimony will continue. It is not clear when the plaintiff will testify, but Obrycka could testify before the end of court proceedings Wednesday.
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