June 1, 2008
Officer Herrera Goes Public
Indicted Chicago Police Officer Tells 60 Minutes His "Bosses" Knew Of And Encouraged Lies
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Play CBS Video Video Officer Herrera Goes Public Police Officer Keith Herrera speaks for the first time publicly about his former unit, the Special Operations Section. Its members are involved in one of the largest police scandals in Chicago history. Katie Couric reports.
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Keith Herrera (CBS)
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"Who was he planning on doing the deed?" Couric asks.
"He didn’t tell me specific names. He called it a paint job. And he just said some really good painters. We'd never have to paint again. That's what he said," Herrera says.
Herrera says he "petrified" during this process. "I had the FBI on speed dial on my phone," he says.
As the plan took shape, Herrera says Finnigan added two more officers to the hit list. "He said if we get take care of these first two, we might as well take care of everybody else. You know?" he says.
"So he was willing to kill four Chicago police officers?" Couric asks.
"Yes," Herrera says.
"To keep them from testifying against him?" Couric asks.
"That's correct," Herrera says.
As a result of Herrera's assistance, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald charged Jerry Finnigan with plotting a murder for hire, an allegation he denies.
Since then, Finnigan has been cooperating with federal prosecutors, as has Keith Herrera, in the investigation of the Chicago Police Department. Meanwhile, Mayor Richard Daley has already established a new office-under his authority-
to handle complaints against police officers, which he says should help prevent future scandals.
"What troubles you the most about what’s been going on in the police department?" Couric asks.
"Well, what troubles me the most is that one little incident can overshadow all the good things that the police department may do," Daley says.
"But it's not just one little incident, Mr. Mayor," Couric points out.
"But maybe it's 10 or 15. Yeah, it could be 10, or 15 or 20. But every day, we're answering thousands of calls. So you don't allow a series of things to overcome the police mission of serving and protecting the people of the city of Chicago," Daley says.
Keith Herrera still faces the possibility of prison time and is hoping prosecutors will show him some leniency for his cooperation. He knows he'll probably never be a street cop again, but he wants some day to tell his story to recruits at the academy. The police superintendent told us he'd welcome that idea.
"I'd like to put a picture of myself up on a board, when I was in the academy, smiling, thinking I’m gonna save the world," Herrera says. "And then I'd like to put a picture up of me with my mug shot, not happy, looking miserable, and I'd like to ask them 'Do you guys have any questions? Because I got a lot of answers for all those questions whatever question you have I’m gonna have an answer for.' And they’re gonna learn from me. I know they would."
Produced by Tanya Simon, Andrew Metz and Michael Radutzky
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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See all 102 CommentsFlabbergasted that cops break the law?
The culture of elitism goes all the way to the top. Daley is one of the most strident gun control mayors in the nation yet to help out another elitist he supports a law just fot the elite. And this in the face of rising crime and murder.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/960265,CST-NWS-mell21-web.article
Why wouldn''t cops think they are above the law when they have such fine examples in Daley and Mell?
You need to read the article closely to see that the amnesty will not do what they use as justification and will affect only Mell.
A journalist worth his salt wouldn''t have missed such an obvious fact and couldn''t be caught staring open mouthed in wonder at cops following the play book.
Flabbergasted that cops break the law?
The culture of elitism goes all the way to the top. Daley is one of the most strident gun control mayors in the nation yet to help out another elitist he supports a law just fot the elite. And this in the face of rising crime and murder.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/960265,CST-NWS-mell21-web.article
Why wouldn''t cops think they are above the law when they have such fine examples in Daley and Mell?
You need to read the article closely to see that the amnesty will not do what they use as justification and will affect only Mell.
A journalist worth his salt wouldn''t have missed such an obvious fact and couldn''t be caught staring open mouthed in wonder at cops following the play book.
Obama
Wright
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Ayers
Dorn
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of-father-michael-pfleger
That''s screwed up. Someone clearly has some screws loose, but in the top, not the bottom.
As tempting as it might be to bend or break the rules, staying on the right side of the rule book is the difference between the bad guys and the police. You can''t imagine how frustrating this can be for a police officer at times but we have to maintain our standard and our honor.
Next time you need the police to save your butt, call a monkey.
Didn''t i arrest you somewhere before, probably more than once. I would refer a cop with a badge be a gangster than these wanna be gangbangers .
It is spelled LIAR, NOT LAIR.
How many police do you actually know. Your comment about police being currupt only shows your lack of knowledge. Maybe you are the type they were arresting.There is bad in all groups. They caught this group and are prosecuting them. Who do you think caught them, bad cops ? Be reasonable. most police are honesdt hard working citizens like yourself that only want to do the job right. My law professor in college stressed that we must maintain out integrity above all else. He was right. I never met a cop who took the job to make big money, unless he planned on doing crimes. I put my own partner in Leavenworth for this reason.
You know nothing about Herrara. He is making a deal with the DA to testify so he will get off lighter than the others. AMCPD2 has been there and knows what it is all about. You do not have the experience in this area to know what you are talking about.
You say good coppers always spot bad ones... well how would you know? Watch it!
Posted by lean12 at 03:57 PM : Jun 02, 2008
These guys are going to have so much fun in jail, sodomy with a screwdriver sounds horrific but I bet the cons in whatever hole they end up in can come up with something a whole lot worse for these particular ***, and they deserve everything that''''s coming too them! Posted by lean12 at 03:56 PM : Jun 02, 2008
Herrera is a criminal. He was dirty from day one. He only told his version of the story because he lost his way in the dept and thinks this might help him out of a long, long jail term.
Your right it is the tip of the iceberg.. The end results are within the truth and right or wrong the truth is told.
In the positions they find themselves, and when your in it all, the questions are, you either do as your told or you may end up hurt.
The story Kieth told was all in truth, we as a people know this through experience... dealing with cops and the bad guy in one way or another.
The system was that way long before he came along, and he just confirmed it by doing the interview. It takes a lot to speak the truth.
But I can say for a fact Keith not alone there are those that will stand behind him, and watch his back... Keith has a strong family. He''s got a lot of friends and family that will be here and never ever let anything happen to him...
Posted by tee-en-ay at 02:37 PM
Baloney. This is the tipp of the iceberg, and he fell into the fallacy of groupthink, where a group or organization believes they are infallible. The system was this way long before he came along. He better look out for himself, because noone else will.
This bad apple ruined the rest of the bushel. Only time will heal the very bad wound.
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Posted by tee-en-ay at 02:37 PM
Baloney. This is the tipp of the iceberg, and he fell into the fallacy of groupthink, where a group or organization believes they are infallible. The system was this way long before he came along. He better look out for himself, because noone else will.
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