Cops Exonerated
The trial took place in April. We don't recall if we saw anything about it then and we can't find anything we might have written about it. It deserved a bit of play then and more so now:
A Cook County jury took only 10 minutes to decide Chicago Police Officer Clyde Brandenburger and his partner were justified in killing Joseph T. Zagar.
Brandenburger said he's happy the lawsuit is behind him. "This really put us in a bad light," he said.
- "It took us about 10 minutes, and everyone agreed this was not wanton disregard of his rights," [the jury foreman] said.
Ten minutes has to be some sort of land-speed record for a Cook County jury siding with the police. "Suicide-by-cop" was the final determination. The article is actually sympathetic to the cops in that they were responding to a drunk caller claiming to have a gun and when he pointed something at his head, then at the cops, they killed him. Justifiably. But the nightmares for at least one of the coppers haven't stopped.
We just wonder why Frank Main, who wrote such a shitty article for Sunday's paper that was nothing more than a hatchet job on the police for the City's decision not to fight lawsuits, can play the other side halfway decently with a little effort.
We just wonder why Frank Main, who wrote such a shitty article for Sunday's paper that was nothing more than a hatchet job on the police for the City's decision not to fight lawsuits, can play the other side halfway decently with a little effort.
Labels: shooting
posted by SCC at 12:07 AM
42 Comments:
I'm retired, I knew Clyde B., He was a good guy. I hope that he is doing well and I hope this Main jerk doesn't hang a good man out to dry. GOD bless you Clyde, enjoy your retirement.
How about this from the S-T article?
But the office chooses to prosecute too many small cases as felonies, giving the predominantly African-American offenders felony records that make them unemployable, Brookins said.
"Things that used to be childhood pranks have now become felonies," Brookins said. "Outside the schools, there used to be a fire and police call box. You pull the thing, and the Fire Department came. Once a year, we pulled it. That is a felony now. Once you have that first felony, you can't get a job."
Let's just get rid of all those felonies, and then the offenders can become employable. False fire alarms? Just a childhood prank. So what if a firemen gets killed responding to that alarm outside the school, they didn't mean it. Selling a little dope? Oh, everybody in the 'hood sells a little dope now and then. Carrying a little gun? No big deal, not like it's something dangerous like a Taser. Shot up the street with your little gun? Well, kids do get rambunctious, and have little quarrels, and it's not like you killed somebody.
And we can save a lot of money in the county budget by getting rid of all those ASAs at 26th & Cal we won't need because Brookins won't prosecute anybody. Get rid of the PDs and the judges and the sheriffs, too. More money to put more of Toddler's relatives on the payroll.
Holy Jurisprudence Batman!
You mean there is actually a Jury in Crook County with an I.Q. above room temperature?
Who knew?!
This is JUSTICE and PEACE!
the papers are nothing more than lies and deception! main is another example of an out of control media fed by lies and scandals mostly imagined!
I know Clyde Brandenburger. He was always hard working and honest. One of the best.
Clyde & Patti enjoy your retirement.
Thank You to a common sense jury. this is a good thing for all of us
Perhaps this case went this way because the offender who was shot was white?
I worked with Clyde along time ago. He was a good policeman and a gentleman also. Good to see that this is no longer hanging over his head. Enjoy your retirement Clyde.
Good for them!!
Don't get in Clyde's Crosshairs, you might get "Lit up".
Well perhaps his kid can have a career w/o Daddy's so-called "Cloud of Suspicion"?
Whatever that means,Clydesdale?
Hey Clydesdale, Let your kid make his own Bones. Sorry to burst your bubble, but until that article came out you where nothing more than "Clyde Who"??
What a tool....
for those of you that care. their will be a protest tonight against the 015th district for that shooting last week. they aren't going to take the cpd murders no more. im sure all 3 of them will show up and protest in the rain.
HEY THERE CORI,HEARD WHAT HAPPEND...THATS FUCK'UP.I SURE HOPE U GET JUSTICE CUZ THIS SHIT GOTS 2 STOP.THEM MOTHAFUCKAS, SO CALLED "POLICE"DON'T KNOW THA HARM THEY DONE 2 U,AND KING.MY PRAYERS ARE WITH U,UR FAM AND THA WARD.BE SRTONG MAMA STAY STRONG.!!!!FUCK THA C.P.D,AND MAY THEY ROT IN HELL!!!!
Nov 19 2007 3:22 PM
My brother LATEE did not die in vane!!!!! Most of you know that Latee was murdered by the CPD on Tuesday. We are protesting POLICE TERRORISM tomorrow Tuesday November 20th right outside the police station on MADISON and MENARD @ 6:30 P.M. We can no longer tolerate this type of behavior from those that are here to "protect and serve" us. I know that alot of us may have records but they can not arrest us all. Please come show your support of the cause as well as dissapproval of the CPD's actions. It could be your brother tomorrow. Thanks and god bless you all.
http://www.myspace.com/newsenseofpsychodrama
Clyde was the best and should have recieved a merit promotion to detective but he as not a political suck hole like most of the merits on this god forsaken police department.
My fondest memory was when the testicless court sgt. MC Penk(who ran his heating @ air conditioning business from the court section)
accused Clyde of writing on the wall what a J/O Mc Penk was.
Clyde told him, he didnt know mc Penk could read, in front of five off us.
I know Clyde; he's always been a top notch copper. I'd go through a door with him anytime. Congratualtions Clyde; May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live!
Clyde may God Bless you and yours on this Thanksgiving. Your Friends from 701. Happy Retirement
Clyde and his partner Bill Gorman are fantastic people. They did everything by the book on that job. Unfortunately, they ran into a very sick man who wanted the police to kill him, because his previous attempts at killing himself were not successful.
The big reason why the decision came down so fast was because the family claimed throughout the pre-trial motions that Joe Zagar had no mental problems whatsoever. They even tried that at trial. when presented with all of the case reports and 911 calls over several years of taking him to various hospitals for mental health treatment, they tried saying that yes, he was sick, but they should have known that. Zagar's family lost the jury immediately when they abruptly tried changing tactics during the trial.
God bless you, Clyde and Bill. You guys are the best!!!
Good for Clyde Brandenburger and his partner--I had the pleasure working with him in a side-job years and years ago and took some advice he gave, helping me out quite a bit. Hell of a guy and funny as hell! Godspeed, Clyde. Take care.
I sent Frank Main an email about his article and asked him did he ask the hard questions to Law Dept. rep Jennifer Hoyle on why the city pays these morons even though the police were found to be right most of the time,well he responded with a 729 word article from 2003,and no he didn't ask Ms.Hoyle the hard questions,Main is a smug,arrogant prick who should be overloaded with emails.
fmain@suntimes.com
for a sad thought that is somewhat bizzare i have photos of HARLEY SCHENKER in drag
Hi Clyde retired 022 copper here who worked wagon for a time know the deceased guy well made 3 trips to Tinley mental with him , if family was so so concerned for him they should have gone to court and had him committed the right way, now hes nothing to them but a piggy bank we all know that good luck and enjoy the retirement
Too bad Clyde's kid is now an ex-rookie. He got fired about 2 months ago for some BS at 115 Bourbon Street. IAD jammed him real good.
Posters Nov 19 3:22 AND Nov 20 3:49 ....
Is this a JOKE?? Or is the SHIT, that's right, SHIT, invading our space here????
Whew, sorry, spoke too soon, after I posted I saw it was a myspace entry. Thank goodness they're not invading SCC .... at least not yet.
Clyde was my partner for 10 yrs. Good guy and good shooting from day #1 but had to go through years of stress and crap over this suit. I hope he sues the family. Good luck buddy, stay healthy!
Clyde B. is one top-notch cop, I was always proud to work with him on tact. in South Chicago , and could always count on him for backup if needed. Too bad he left the Real Police and went to 022 to retire, I missed him. He should have been a Detective or more, but retired 004 Dist. "Lambchop" N. Walker made a Cupcake a merit Dick instead, not even fit to hold Clyde's jockstrap. Typical CPD P.C. and politics. No wonder this place is totally fucked up. Anyway, God Bless U Clyde, U Da MAN!!! Best of Luck in Retirement, you deserve it.
Clyde was a terrific copper in his days of 004 tact. He and his partner made good arrests all the time. There were lots of good guys on that tact team in 004 who moved up the chain. Too bad Clyde never got made a Merit Det. He certainly deserved it. Among the heavy hitters on 004 tact who moved up:
John Greco/Lt. (Clyde's partner)James O'Hara/retired as Lt.
Ken Johnson/Capt.
Pete Piazza/Lt.
Karen Brozynski/Sgt.
Eugene Williams/Interim Chief OCD
Fred Buchanan/Sgt.
James Aducci/Sgt
James Jackson/Cmdr
John Franklin/Cmdr
Jack Harris/retired with (i think) the most seniority of any Sgt. in the cpd at the time. over 20 years as a tact Sgt! R.I.P. Jack, you were the best...
11/20/2007 01:29:00 AM
Brookins sounded like a complete asshole. And I'm sorry, but this is the ghetto mentality that is now filtering into our government.
Lately I have been thinking about starting an organization. It would be called: The Why Should I Do It If Nobody Else Has To Do It Coalition.
We can start with drivers licenses, car insurance, social security numbers, etc. Gee, I can become a total asshole and not be responsible for anything. Every day I could do less and less. My life is getting easier all the time. Why didn't I think of this before?
Anonymous said...
Perhaps this case went this way because the offender who was shot was white?
11/20/2007 10:51:00 AM
You noticed that too?
Anonymous said...
Hi Clyde retired 022 copper here who worked wagon for a time know the deceased guy well made 3 trips to Tinley mental with him , if family was so so concerned for him they should have gone to court and had him committed the right way, now hes nothing to them but a piggy bank we all know that good luck and enjoy the retirement
11/20/2007 07:40:00 PM
Or why did they allow him to drink in their house? Stupid.
Thank God we finally won! 1 for CPD! God Bless Clyde happy retirement!
Clyde and his partner Greco were a good team up back in the day on 004
tact; lots of great arrests made. Too bad Clyde never got made a detective. When you see one of the people the old commander of 004 got made meritorious, and the shit she's gotten herself into over the years, it shows that the merit process is just bullshit. Enjoy your retirement, Clyde!
"Clyde the Glide." An Old School Cop if there ever was one. Took no bullshit off of anyone and gave great advise. I had the opportunity to work with Clyde when JonG broke his ankle. Taught me alot, as well as all the people he worked with, and I wouldn't trade that time for anything. Clyde would have made an outstanding Detective and was even promised he'd be made, but the political suckholes aced him out. I wonder how many clear ups any of them have made in their illustrious careers? Clyde, you were one of the best and I wish a happy retirement for you and Pat now that this is over. By the way, did you ever acquire that 4th house to complete the 4 corners?
Too bad Clyde's kid is now an ex-rookie. He got fired about 2 months ago for some BS at 115 Bourbon Street. IAD jammed him real good
PPO in a bar beef equals termination, IAD doesn't need to jam him....
I was lucky to meet Clyde before I became the Police. While I was still in the Academy he and his partner arranged to take me on a ride along one night in 004. As a young recruit I listened to everything they told me and I still follow Clyde's words of wisdom to this day. Enjoy your retirement Clyde and thanks for all the advice.
I also worked tact in 004 with Clyde....different teams but worked with him on double day a few times. laugh, make a pinch laugh some more make another pinch. No sandbagging, no pimp shit. Cars and guns. But we had a lot of good tact guys there, some mentioned above, some not. Charlie Mandel (RIP) was the Lt then later Nate Ross. Both great guys, stand up old schoolers. It was a lot of fun, and seems like yesterday.
Oh, and don't forget, Clyde kicked some ass in Viet Nam as well. Good working with you buddy, you and Pat load up the trailer and hit the road.....
004 vet
Don't get in Clyde's Crosshairs, you might get "Lit up".
************************************
Is the poor baby offended by "lit up"? You fucking asshole, Clyde and guys like him did more good police work in one period than you will do in your career. Go iron your cargo pants rookie.
Anonymous said...
Clyde B. is one top-notch cop, I was always proud to work with him on tact. in South Chicago , and could always count on him for backup if needed. Too bad he left the Real Police and went to 022 to retire, I missed him. He should have been a Detective or more, but retired 004 Dist. "Lambchop" N. Walker made a Cupcake a merit Dick instead, not even fit to hold Clyde's jockstrap. Typical CPD P.C. and politics. No wonder this place is totally fucked up. Anyway, God Bless U Clyde, U Da MAN!!! Best of Luck in Retirement, you deserve it.
11/20/2007 11:15:00 PM
I do not doubt what you state but I was there when the call came in from headquarters while coffey was the D/C, according to coffey "downtown wants a F/2" ...long story short a broad named jeannie made gang crime spec., now most everyone who was D2(A) is det., only because they wanted/needed a F/2 was Clyde passed over. In my encounters with Clyde, he was good, good enough to be considered and made D2 now A. The fem that was picked was lucky, there was no toss up between the two.
03:40 is Correct. I was in 004 at that time. It was Fred Coffey that fucked over Clyde. Not Noreen Walker.
Thank you for the Great comments. It was nice to hear that stuff BEFORE my funeral. Frank Main did'nt spin our side of the story, I think we got a fair shake this time.
And on a final note, the Three Corp Lawyers who work our case did a superior job they worked weekends and nights getting this BS suit ready for trial. Then they Kicked the Zagar Familys Lawyers ass.See, if the City would take off the gloves and let the facts be put before a jury the taxpayers wouldnt be out so much $$$. We saved them$6,000,000.oo Thanks again CB
Ahhhh, yes....Coffey did squeeze Brandenburger out of a merit Det. spot. But didn't Cmdr. Walker have a hand in promoting the desk officer/jewelry salesman to the rank of Merit Sgt? He then was promoted to Lt. and Capt., and then recently returned to 004.
Of course, being part of Cline's recruit class didn't hurt either.
Not bad for a career desk man from the 004th Dist. So much for earning these merit promotions.
For those of you who keep insisting that blacks & latinos are the majority of these promotions, you just don't want to see what's right in front of your face.
The Capt. you speak of made sgt. off of his score. As a matter of fact he would have been promoted in the first class off that test but the merit stuff kncked him back a class. As far as Lt. goes, I have no idea if that was merit. He's a good boss who care of his troops and more importantly he is competant.
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