Democrat Raymond Lopez says dangerous repeat offenders are exploiting the SAFE-T Act that eliminated cash bail in Illinois
A Chicago alderman says the state’s no-cash bail law has been “utterly manipulated and abused,” and is calling for changes after a felon on pretrial release allegedly killed a police officer inside a hospital.
Alphanso Talley, 27, was charged on Monday after allegedly killing 38-year-old Chicago Police Department officer John Bartholomew at Swedish Hospital on Saturday, and injuring another officer in a shooting.
Talley allegedly shot both officers around 11 a.m. at the hospital, where officials said he was taken into custody for a previous armed robbery. While he was being taken to a CT scan, prosecutors said he had a gun underneath his blanket, which he pulled out and then shot both officers.
He was wanted after allegedly robbing a Family Dollar store on Saturday morning and pistol-whipping one of their female employees, taking her wallet and keys.