Chicago police officer John Bartholomew's accused killer ordered held until murder trial

The man accused of killing a Chicago police officer and critically wounding his partner was ordered held in jail until he faces trial for the shooting at Swedish Hospital over the weekend.

Meantime, questions continue to swirl about Cook County's electronic monitoring program, because the accused killer was out with an ankle bracelet when the shooting happened.

Cook County Judge D'Anthony Thedford told 26-year-old Alphanso Talley that "no conditions that I can impose can keep the community safe from you," noting he'd violated the terms of his electronic monitoring multiple times.

Talley is charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder. He also faces felony charges of attempted armed kidnapping, aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, aggravated battery with discharge of a weapon, aggravated battery of a peace officer, aggravated discharge of a firearm in an occupied building, escape from a peace officer, armed robbery, unauthorized possession of a weapon by a felon, possession of a firearm by a repeat felon, obstruction of justice, possession of a fraudulent ID card and three issuances of a warrant.

The convicted felon is accused of cutting off his ankle monitor before killing Chicago police officer John Bartholomew and shooting Bartholomew's partner at Swedish Hospital on Saturday.

Talley interrupted Thursday's hearing three times, prompting warnings from the judge. He was seen smirking in the courtroom, at times laughing, as prosecutors laid out their case for him to be detained.

Talley's family was in the courtroom for Thursday's hearing, as his public defender tried to argue that he could be rehabilitated, that he'd had a hard upbringing in foster care, and was working on building a better life when he was released with an ankle bracelet.

"He would never ever ever do something like this ever in the right state of mind ever, period," said Talley's stepsister, Faith. "He was not in his right state of mind, and the story doesn't add up, and I say he's a very innocent man. We're going to prove him right."

The defense's argument fell flat for Thedford, who ordered Talley jailed until his case is resolved. Talley is due back in court on May 20.

Prosecutors said Talley pistol-whipped a 55-year-old cashier at a Family Dollar store on Saturday, robbing her at gunpoint with a co-conspirator before fleeing on a scooter.

The $110 dollars prosecutors say they took from the register had GPS technology that led police straight to Talley.

He was not wearing his ankle monitor after being pinged for multiple curfew violations, and not charging his monitor weeks prior.

Police took him into custody, and he claimed to have ingested five bags of drugs earlier that day, prompting officers to take him to Swedish Hospital.

Court documents revealed Talley had told officers the same thing during a prior arrest, and no drugs were ever found.

Bartholomew and his partner escorted Talley to Swedish Hospital, where prosecutors said he was handcuffed to a hospital bed. Talley removed his pants, but was given a gown and a blanket to wear during a CT scan.

When one of the officers uncuffed Talley for the scan, prosecutors said Talley pulled out the same gun he'd used in the earlier armed robbery, shooting Bartholomew in the head and shooting Bartholomew's partner in the chin before fleeing the hospital using an ID badge he took from a hospital employee.

Talley was seen running naked, holding a hospital gown. He was found a short time later under a porch nearby, still nude with his hospital gown and a 10mm handgun.

"Nobody knows what happened with that gun. Nobody knows if it was tucked in a fat fold or it was tucked inside his body," said Chicago Fraternal Order of Police president John Catanzara.

After the shooting, Bartholomew and his partner were taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where Bartholomew was pronounced dead. His partner remained hospitalized on Thursday, but his condition has improved, and he has been up and alert, and able to respond to questions using body cues.

As for what happened in between the time Talley broke the rules of his electronic monitoring and the shooting at Swedish Hospital, questions remain as to why he wasn't taken into custody sooner.

"This is a system that has been gamed time and time again, because sadly we have slid down the rabbit hole of defending the actually offenders who are ruining this city," Catanzara said.

Talley's case has raised questions about Cook County's entire electronic monitoring system.

"This today is the litmus test for it. It's not working. It's not a success. Empty jail cells are not a success when we have officers being attacked and shot constantly, and citizens being attacked constantly," said Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41st).

Bartholomew's memorial services have been scheduled for next week. Visitation will be held from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, at St. Andrew's Greek Orthodox Church, at 5649 N. Sheridan Rd. His funeral will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 8, also at St. Andrew's.