Judge upholds cop's firing for racially charged "hunting" photo
CHICAGO -- A judge has upheld the firing of a Chicago police officer for a photo that made it appear he and another officer had just hunted and killed an African-American man.
Circuit Judge Thomas Allen on Wednesday said the Chicago Police Board's decision to fire Officer Timothy McDermott in October 2014 was justified because the photo was "horribly offensive." The black man in the photo is wearing antlers and the officers are hovering over him and holding guns.
McDermott's lawyer, Daniel Herbert, said he would appeal. He argued firing McDermott was too harsh.
"I spent 17 years serving and protecting the citizens of Chicago in every neighborhood. I loved every minute of it. I am fully prepared to continue this fight for my job and everything else," McDermott said, reports CBS Chicago.
McDermott told police internal affairs in 2013 that he made a mistake.
The photo is believed to have been taken between 1999 and 2003. It was recently made public.
The other officer pictured in the photo, Jerome Finnigan, is serving a 12-year prison sentence for corruption. He was fired after his 2006 arrest for leading a crew of corrupt cops who carried out robberies and home invasions, mostly targeting drug dealers, reports the station. He also reportedly admitted to plotting to kill another officer he feared was cooperating with investigators, though the murder was never carried out.
The FBI uncovered the controversial photo during its investigation of Finnigan, and turned it over to the city in 2013, reports the station.
Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel has reportedly defended the decision to fire McDermott.
"As far as I'm concerned, to that officer: Good riddance. You don't belong in the police department," he said.