No Bail For Emonte And Eric Morgan, Brothers Charged In Fatal Shooting Of Chicago Police Officer Ella French
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The two brothers charged in connection with the fatal shooting of Chicago Police Officer Ella French, and critically wounding another officer over the weekend, were ordered held without bond on Tuesday.
Emonte Morgan, 21, and Eric Morgan, 22, appeared at separate bond hearings on Tuesday, and both were denied bail.
Emonte Morgan, aka Monte Morgan, is charged with one count of first-degree murder of a peace officer, two counts of attempted first-degree murder of a peace officer, one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, and one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.
His brother, Eric Morgan is charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, and obstruction of justice; accused of trying to dispose of the murder weapon, before he was detained by a group of civilians not far from the scene of the shooting.
At the time of the shooting, Emonte Morgan was on probation after pleading guilty to a 2019 robbery charge. Eric Morgan also was on probation, for a theft conviction in Wisconsin, according to prosecutors.
At both bond hearings on Tuesday, Cook County prosecutors said French and two other officers were on patrol in a marked squad car around 9 p.m. Saturday, when they pulled over a gray SUV with expired plates near 63rd and Bell.
Prosecutors said Eric Morgan was driving the SUV, while Emonte Morgan was in the back seat, and a woman was in the front passenger seat. There was open alcohol in the vehicle, and the woman was not wearing a seat belt.
After pulling over the SUV, all three officers walked up to the vehicle, and French approached the driver, taking away his car keys. Prosecutors said Eric Morgan admitted to having marijuana in his possession, and French had him get out of the car.
Meantime, one of French's partners approached the woman in the front passenger seat, while her other approached Emonte Morgan in the back seat, and asked both of them to get out of the vehicle.
Emonte Morgan stepped out with a drink in one hand and a cell phone in the other. He refused to put them down, and jerked his arms away from officers, according to prosecutors.
After initially cooperating with French, Eric Morgan ran off, and one of her partners started to chase him, while Emonte Morgan began to struggle with French and her other partner, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors said body camera footage showed a semi-automatic handgun in Emonte Morgan's waistband as he struggled with officers outside the SUV.
The struggle then moved to the open front passenger door, where French's partner yelled at him to show his hands while he was partially inside the SUV, as French tried to assist.
While both French and her partner still had their service weapons holstered, Emonte Morgan fired several shots, hitting French and her partner, who both fell to the ground.
Their body cameras recorded Emonte Morgan emerging from the SUV with a gun in his left hand, according to prosecutors. He could then be seen stepping over the wounded officers before moving off camera.
Meantime, the third officer who had been chasing Eric Morgan heard the gunshots, and when he didn't hear his partners over the radio, he stopped trying to handcuff Eric Morgan and ran back to the SUV, radioing for help.
The third officer spotted Emonte Mogran, who fired at him from the back of the SUV. That officer returned fire and fell to the ground, prosecutors said. When he stood back up, he saw Emonte and Eric Morgan meet up across the street and run away. The officer fired at Emonte Morgan again, shooting him in the abdomen.
Prosecutors said Emonte Morgan handed the gun to his brother, who ran off, before he was detained by witnesses who caught him in a nearby yard, where he had dumped the gun.
Several officers responded to the scene, and put French and her wounded partner into squad cars to bring them to the hospital, prosecutors said. Other officers canvassed the area, and found Emonte Morgan lying on the ground. His brother was found not far away, where civilians had detained him.
Police also found a .22-caliber handgun in the backyard where Eric Morgan was detained.
French later died of a gunshot wound to the back of the head. Her wounded partner, a 39-year-old male officer, remains in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the eye, and a bullet still lodged in his brain, according to prosecutors.
Meantime, Emonte Morgan remains hospitalized at Advocate Christ Medical Center. His next court hearing is scheduled for Aug. 16.
The woman who was in the SUV with the Morgan brothers was not charged with a crime.
Another individual, Jamal Danzy, 29, has been charged by the U.S. Attorney's office with federal firearm violations. He is accused of buying the weapon used in the shooting and then providing the gun Eric Morgan, who Danzy knew was a felon and not allowed to buy a weapon himself.
Meanwhile on Monday night, there was also a huge show of support for fallen Officer French, with dozens of police officers in attendance.
Chicago Police Officer Erica Hernandez was a friend of French's, and her former partner on the force. She led a balloon release for French along with the CPD's chaplain.
"She did this job because she wanted to make a difference. She was confident, fearless, a little crazy - but that girl was absolutely courageous," Hernandez told CBS 2's Charlie De Mar.
Hernandez was especially pleased with the turnout at the balloon release.
"There are so many officers from different districts," she said. "It's a blessing to see so many people for Ella."
Hernandez and French both came onto the force within months of one another, and shared the unbreakable link of being a female police officer.
"We all have a bond," Hernandez said. "We are each other's girls."
