3 men accused in attack on CBS News Chicago crew plead not guilty

Three men accused of attacking a CBS News Chicago crew during a crime spree last month pleaded not guilty to the charges on Friday.

Jon Twist, 37; Rafael Salinas, 29; and William Huerta, 41, all appeared before Cook County Judge Nicholas Kantas on Friday at the Skokie Courthouse.

Last week, a grand jury indicted all three men in connection to the attack.

Twist is charged with two counts of hate crime, one count of criminal damage to property, and one count of aggravated assault. Salinas is charged with aggravated battery to a peace officer and criminal damage to property. Huerta is charged with aggravated fleeing from police.

Police said the men attacked a CBS News Chicago reporter and photographer outside the Adler Planetarium on 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 Huerta drove the men away from the Museum Campus in the tow truck and into Brighton Park.  

The group also 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 earlier this month.

Twist and Huerta are due back in court on Aug. 6 for a detention hearing. Salinas is due back in court on Sept 2 for a discovery hearing.