Jury Convicts Assailant
- A hotel manager from Arlington Heights was found guilty of attempting to murder a Chicago Police officer by dragging him from his speeding Mercedes-Benz before pushing him out and running him over with his car near the busy Rush Street nightlife district. Cook County jurors also convicted Michael Cacini, 36, of aggravated battery Friday for the April 20, 2010 attack that left Near North District officer Kristopher Rigan with a dislocated shoulder, missing teeth and abrasions to his arms.The father of six was also convicted of striking Rigan’s partner Thomas O’Shaughnessy with his vehicle as O’Shaughnessy rushed to his colleague’s aid at 10 West Elm.
Interestingly, we were also informed of the following:
- The defense atty in this Attmpt Murder To P.O. case is Sam Amirante. Thought you may find this interesting. Here we have an atty who is the chairman of the board for the Italian American Police Association here in Chicago defending a man accused of trying to murder a policeman .....The Attorney also attends FOP golf outings with the pics on his law office web site to promote it. He even links the police association on his law office web page. This guy is defending murderers and accused cop killers and he is honored at police functions. He most recently received and honor from the Italian Police Association. This is absolutely absurd and wrong on so many levels
Amirante also participated in the defense of John Wayne Gacy. Anyone else think the FOP and the IAPA ought to rethink their association with someone who plays both sides of the fence?
Labels: good news
posted by SCC at 12:05 AM
44 Comments:
I don't know Amirante but I think he's doing a great job!
Bada Bing!! Whatsa matta you!!
He should not be honored at police functions anymore.
I have been offered generous compensation (over one hundred dollars per hour) to do work for a law firm which was under contract with the Northwestern University Innocence Project. Needless to say, I had to politely decline the offer once I realized that I would have to find witnesses in an attempt to free convicted murderers. Money is not everything.
FOP attorneys Joseph Roddy and Thomas Needham both represent defendants where CPD officers are witnesses/complainants. Thomas Needham has filed suit against CPD officers.
Lawyers are a privileged class of scum .
Good to hear. Nice work Tom.
He don't play both sides"
He plays US for HIS SIDE!
We just don't know which side he puts the blood money?
You are either for us or against us. Pretty simple. This guy must be against the Chicago police.
Who cares? Look at the post above and tell me how it's any different from the gang banger alderman and our criminal governors, senators and representatives. This is Chicago in the sick state of Illinois. Par for the fucking course.
And cops can't be bothered to vote. But you know who does? All of the community organizers and "church" goers out there.
Yeah, it's a great place to raise a family.
Heeeeey.....it's just business....fuggedaboutit....
He's just a guy doing his job. Like it or not, even low life scum are entitled to the best defense an attorney (any attorney) can provide, this guy included.
It all depends on HOW he presents his case. If he goes after the cops personally then he is scum himself, if he concentrates on the case he is fine, win or lose.
I have gone up against hundreds of defense attorney's and there are some I have no problem losing to. While I have met the diminutive Amirante several times (wasn't he a judge for a while?) I have never had a trial with him so I can't say if he is one of the guys that plays fair or not.
That's the exact reason I am not part of the Badah Bing Police Club. And I'm Italian.
defending Gacy is one thing Defending a guy who is accused of running down a cop is another
IF one wants to brag about being friends with the police
That is wrong on so many levels...pick a side Amirante....although his recent Gacy book was pretty good.
Glad to here this piece of shit was convicted... Now kris, get better then get rich!
I am sooo tired of the msm acting like the police should EXPECT to be injured and victimized and just accept it as part of their job.
It makes me sick how the scum times tries to sway their readers into feeling sorry for the OFFENDER as they described his wife after the verdict was read as if some huge INJUSTICE had just occurred:
"His wife, holding an infant, could be heard wailing outside Judge Mary Margaret Brosnahan’s courtroom when a family member went out to give her the news."
"Cacini’s wife later screamed at Rigan and O’Shaughnessy as they walked by and then crumpled to the ground sobbing loudly." [What? As if THEY lied and perjured themselves?]
"The cops were acting like “cowboys” and Rigan’s unprofessional bellow to “get the f--- out of the car” didn’t help, Cacini’s attorney Sam Amirante said in his closing arguments Friday." [The trial lasted two days, but THIS is the reference to the police that the scum times wants their readers to be left with?]
It's a shame that this woman will now have to raise six children on her own while her spouse goes to prison, but HE made the choice, NOT the officers. If HE stops his car and gets pinched for some pot, he stays with the wife and kids and probably beats any drug case that comes up.
There are REPERCUSSIONS when you do stupid things!
This has been a TEACHABLE MOMENT brought to you by the Cook County Circuit Court system. Now all we have to worry about is that Pat Quinn doesn't pardon this a**hole or early release him from some Illinois prison that he's planning to close!
I call it ironically poetic this lawyer defends these guys that pay him money to do so, and then he turns around and contributes part of it to us. Someone has gotta defend these douchebags, but at least we are getting something back besides convictions that is.
Is there enough business defending accused cops for good lawyers to make a living doing so and not taking on other clients?
there is little difference between defending a cop accused of a crime and defending anyone else accused of a similar crime. better to worry about getting the best possible defense.
Why be surprised this is typical in Shitcago.
Just like the voting public who bitch moan and complain but DON'T VOTE.
Whats wrong with Sam.
The pbpa uses bob kuzas as their lawyer.
His clients are all honor students.
He refers the ag bats to two guys in his office, and takes a third on the referral.
Likes to buddy buddy with you, til he throws you under the bus with his lies to get his shit bird off.
Their all jags.
Amirante's client was convicted so maybe he is on our side? Good job Sam!
Not only does he advertise on the FOP website, the current FOP sees fit to use Amirante as a lawyer for its members. Amirante was at IAD a couple weeks ago representing an officer and waiving around a letter from the FOP approving his representation. WTF is going on down there? We are in a lot of trouble boys and girls!
Didn't John Adams represent the British soldiers after the Boston Massacre?
Just saying
Needham is a daley hack.
The jury convicted because it was a rich white guy driving a Mercedes. If it was a poor African-American in a beater, they would have found him not guilty and said the police should pay him compensation for all his troubles. And they just be stopping him 'cause he black. Don't be too encouraged by this.
Amirante's secretary told me that Gacy had confessed to Amirante who was his lawyer at the time. He told his lawyer in essence that these kids that he killed expected something for nothing and they should have known better. He showed not a shred of remorse. Yet Amirante defended this scum. What does that say about his character? He should have quit the moment Gacy confessed to him...
Who is this idiot Cacini? He has a Linkedin profile -
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/michael-cacini/12/b47/899
When he attacked the cops in April of 2010, he was Business Account Executive for Verizon Wireless. It appears that Verizon was smart enough to unload him after this. He went to work at the front desk of the Marriott Lincolnshire in October 2010. He was promoted by Marriott in July 2011. Did Marriott know about his legal problems? Looks like they will need another Front Desk Supervisor.
It's about the money. There are no morals, it's all about the money. Grab what you can while you can should be the cities motto.
were you aware that he is a retired judge from the rolling meadows courthouse? imagine what went on there...
I see the conflict of interest appearance. But the guy is a defense attorney and that's how he makes his money. I have encountered numerous defense attorneys at court that are friends of the police and are just doing their jobs and met a lot that are scumbags.
Two things..Either this lawyer is the worst in shicago or he threw this guy under the bus!
Remember, the guy was found guilty in Cook Co on a case involving a P.O.
"A hotel manager from Arlington Heights was found guilty of attempting to murder a Chicago Police officer by dragging him from his speeding Mercedes-Benz before pushing him out and running him over with his car near the busy Rush Street nightlife district."
Good.
Affluent prick.
Hope this a__hole gets two 60-year terms that kick off in Menard.
At the time that I read the SCC comments, no one has made the most important one of all: I'm glad to hear that the officer lived to tell the tale. Scumbag lawyers and privileged suburban cowards are unfortunately the types we come across often, and that is not likely to change anytime soon. But this officer is courageous, he survived this attempted murder and helped send this bastard to prison. All those who claim they know how to perform our duties better that we and could do it better should read this. Thank you, officer.
He also used to be Cook County judge.
so what he got paid
This fine upstanding suburban father of six (including a newborn) was hanging around Rush Street at 3am trying to buy drugs. Hey Cacini, if you are looking at substantial jail time, why did you knock up your wife again? This is from the fraud's Google+ page:
https://profiles.google.com/michaelcacini/about
First and foremost, I am a believer and follower of Jesus Christ. I am married to my high school sweetheart and together we have five wonderful children. We both have very loving and supportive families and are grateful for the blessings our parents have bestowed to us.
Hypocrite.
Anyone else think the FOP and the IAPA ought to rethink their association with someone who plays both sides of the fence?
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That's not unusual at all in the suburbs.
Village prosecutors can try a case against somebody in the morning and defend somebody for a felony in the afternoon.
Sam used to be a judge out in 3rd district. Back to being a defense attorney... Had a case with him once and at that time he was repectful of coppers.... hes still a whore, but a respectful one.
He representing a low life patch burglar out in Lake County... so between being a judge and now defending assholes, it'll always have a certain smell to it.....
one you don't forget.
Let you know how Forliano's case goes....
Anonymous said...
At the time that I read the SCC comments, no one has made the most important one of all: I'm glad to hear that the officer lived to tell the tale. Scumbag lawyers and privileged suburban cowards are unfortunately the types we come across often, and that is not likely to change anytime soon. But this officer is courageous, he survived this attempted murder and helped send this bastard to prison. All those who claim they know how to perform our duties better that we and could do it better should read this. Thank you, officer.
2/27/2012 03:01:00 PM
Thank You Anonymous for your comment I to am glad the Officer lived to tell his story & to Every PO out their be careful & safe.
yep, grew up with the perp and his wife. First off, my sympathies to the officers he injured. Second, what the fuck were you thinking Mike? You fucking idiot, you had more than "you had it all," a great wife, great kids, great life, etc. Guess you flipped to "the god Squad" on all your facebook profile choices, etc, too late, ehh? Seriously, from someone who always thought you had it all, all you have managed to do is show you can't hold anything. I guess its better off this way, so the kids and Amy don't see you fail in any other way. And Amy, you deserve a lot better, but forget the scumbags (always hard for you, ehh?)
I don't know, but I have heard that Chicago Police Officers need lawyers from time to time.
I don't know, but I suspect that if a Chicago Police Officer was in need of a defense lawyer that he should find some lawyer who has actually defended a person rather than some lawyer who has never defended anyone even if he may be the most virtuous lawyer there ever was.
Now, I don't know, but if the FOP only associates with the most virtuous of counsel, the FOP's members will be represented by substandard, but very saintly counsel.
Now, I don't know this, but I have heard, that police officers may be faced with needing counsel.
From time to time.
Lawyers don't make money defending good guys, they make money defending bad guys. At least he donates some of it back to the good guys.....
Lawyers don't make money defending good guys, they make money defending bad guys. At least he donates some of it back to the good guys.....
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lawyers make their money defending those that have money to pay legal fees. good, bad. they don't much care.
By the way the six children are from 3 different fathers.
So he is not the father of 6.
He is the father of 3.
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