Harvey, Illinois Ald. Colby Chapman returns to City Hall after latest arrest
Just days after an alderman in the south Chicago suburb of Harvey was arrested and charged with a felony, she was back at a Harvey City Council meeting.
Ald. Colby Chapman (2nd) chalks the charges up to political retaliation by the mayor. Harvey Mayor Christopher Clark says no such thing is happening.
The allegations stem from an April city council meeting where Chapman was removed from the meeting and charged with misdemeanors that were later dropped — but now she is faced with a felony from that same encounter.
On Monday night, Chapman was back at Harvey City Hall.
"Our city needs men who lead with integrity, love and courage," Chapman said at a City Council meeting.
Late last week, Chapman turned herself in to Harvey police on a felony charge.
In April, Mayor Clark said Chapman was disruptive at least three times, and asked the Harvey City Council to censure and remove her.
Chapman was charged with misdemeanors for this encounter with officers. The charges were dropped last week by the Cook County State's Attorney's office.
But a day later, the State's Attorney's office approved a new felony charge against Chapman of aggravated battery to a police officer for the same April incident.
"This is my fourth time arrested, third time jailed," Chapman said.
Chapman has been arrested before for incidents at City Hall. The charges have all later been dismissed.
Chapman is a frequent critic of the mayor, and said she believes the mayor has unfairly targeted her.
Mayor Clark denies any allegations of political retribution.
"When the State's Attorney's office has an opportunity to make full review of the entirety of what happened on Monday, April the 28th, I think that they'll make a good decision, favorable," Chapman said.
Back inside Harvey City Hall, some residents came to the defense of Chapman.
"I'm sick and tired of you arresting Colby Chapman," said Harvey resident Mazurk Irvin.
Meanwhile, some fellow aldermen accused chapman of grandstanding.
"This is not a way to run a city," Irvin said.
Mayor Clark said the video of the April City Council incident speaks for itself, and shows Ald. Chapman striking a police officer. The mayor added that the charges should send a clear message that no one is above the law.
"For the next six months to the end of 2025, I'm hopeful that there will be no more arrests; that nobody will be silenced because they talked," said Chapman.
The day Ald. Chapman turned herself in last week, she announced her candidacy for mayor.
Chapman has also filed a civil lawsuit against the mayor.
