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OFFICEOFTHESTATESATTORNEYCOOKCOUNTY,ILLINOIS

ANITA ALVAREZ 69 WEST WASHINGTON ST.STATES ATTORNEY SUITE 3200

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60602

Press Release

FOR RELEASE: FOR INFORMATION:October 30, 2013 (312) 603-3423

SUBURBAN POLICE OFFICER CHARGED IN LOCK-UP INCIDENT

A Skokie police officer has been arrested and is facing felony criminal charges in connection with an incident inwhich the officer is captured on videotape forcibly shoving a female arrestee into a jail cell resulting insignificant injuries to the woman including facial fractures that required reconstructive surgery as well as visionand dental problems, Cook County States Attorney Anita Alvarez announced today.

Michael Hart, 43, of Gurnee, Illinois, was charged today with the felony offenses of Aggravated Battery andOfficial Misconduct in connection with the incident. Hart appeared in bond court today at the George LeightonCriminal Courts Building in Chicago before Judge Israel Desierto who set bond at $75,000. Hart has beenemployed as a full time Skokie police officer since 1994.

According to prosecutors, the incident occurred on the morning of March 10, 2013 at the Skokie PoliceDepartment, where Hart was on duty and assisting in the fingerprinting and photographing of a 47-year-oldfemale who was in custody after having been arrested by Skokie police officers on a charge of driving under theinfluence of alcohol earlier that morning.

During the booking process Hart became irate with the female detainee when she repeatedly disregarded hiscommand to look at a specific location on a camera lens in order to allow him to take an arrest and booking photoof the defendant.

After the woman disobeyed Harts final command, the officer grabbed her forcibly by the arm and pulled hertowards an open detention cell. At the entrance of the cell, the detainee attempted to use both hands to grasp thesides of the doorway, regain her balance and request that she have another opportunity to be photographed. Atthat point, Officer Hart, who was behind the detainee, is alleged to have put both of his hands on the womansback and pushed her forcefully into the cell.

According to prosecutors, the force of the shove propelled the woman across the cell causing her face and head toslam into an unpadded concrete bench. The face-first impact with the concrete fractured the womans rightorbital bone, loosened some of her teeth and opened a deep cut on her cheek. The orbital fracture requiredreconstructive surgery during which a titanium plate was inserted in the womans cheek. She also suffers visionand dental problems as a result of the incident.

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Suburban Officer Charged in Lock-Up Incident

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All of the events were captured and recorded by video surveillance cameras mounted throughout the Skokiepolice station.

It is a sad and difficult day in law enforcement when an incident such as this occurs and criminal charges arewarranted, said States Attorney Alvarez. We recognize that police officers have difficult jobs and work underchallenging circumstances, but every law enforcement officer holds his or her powers through the public trust anthis senseless act constitutes a violation of that trust.

The investigation was conducted by the States Attorneys Special Prosecutions Bureau as part of ongoing effortsto monitor and investigate police misconduct and public corruption. If convicted, Hart faces a sentence thatranges from a term of probation to up to five years in prison. States Attorney Alvarez thanked the Skokie PoliceDepartment for their cooperation in the investigation.

The public is reminded that criminal charging documents contain allegations that are not evidence of guilt. The

defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the state has the burden of proving guiltbeyond a reasonable doubt.

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