Men accused in attack on CBS News Chicago crew return to court
The men accused in a crime spree that involved an attack on a CBS News Chicago crew last week were back in court Wednesday morning.
Jon Twist, 37; Rafael Salinas, 29; and William Huerta, 41, all had status hearings before Judge Anthony John Calabrese at the Cook County Courthouse in Skokie. Twist refused to appear in court either in person or virtually.
At the hearing, attorneys continued the case to July 24. The next major step in the case is that it will go to a grand jury, which will decide whether to indict the three defendants.
If the grand jury votes to indict, the indictment is expected to be returned July 24.
Police said the men attacked a CBS News Chicago reporter and photographer outside the Adler Planetarium on the afternoon of Monday, June 29.
The attackers suddenly jumped out of a white tow truck with a dog and then moved aggressively towards the crew. Witnesses said the men tried siccing a German shepherd on CBS News Chicago's photojournalist while yelling racial slurs, but the dog did not obey the command.
Twist, identified in arrest reports as a known gang member, is charged with a hate crime and criminal damage to property in the incident. Both charges are felonies.
The hate crime charges accuse Twist of "shouting racial obscenities" at a CBS News Chicago photographer who is Black, threatening a reporter, and smashing the windshield of a news live truck with a cone.
Salinas is also charged with a felony count of criminal damage to property, as well as aggravated battery to a peace officer. He is accused of damaging CBS News Chicago's team's camera, lights and tripod, and of helping Twist smash the windshield of the news van with a cone. The attackers caused thousands of dollars in damage.
Cook County prosecutors said a third man, William Huerta, 41, drove the men away from the Museum Campus in the tow truck and into Brighton Park.
The group was spotted pointing a gun from the tow truck at people in Richard J. Daley Park, at Western Avenue/Boulevard and the Chicago Sanitary Ship Canal, prosecutors said.
Police gave chase, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said Huerta tried to brake-check officers and even put the tow truck in reverse and drove toward officers at one point.
After the police chase, the truck crashed. The three men and a fourth unidentified person ran but were quickly arrested, prosecutors said.
Twist, Salinas, and Huerta were all ordered detained last week.
