CHICAGO — Chicago’s top cop slammed a federal judge for setting a low bond for the Indiana man charged with illegally buying and providing the gun used in the slaying of Chicago Police Officer Ella French, calling it “an outrage.”
Police Supt. David Brown on Wednesday put out a statement criticizing the $4,500 bond set for Jamel Danzy, leading to his supervised released.
“To say that I am extremely disappointed in U.S Magistrate Judge Jeffery Gilbert’s decision to release Jamel Danzy on an unsecured bond today is an understatement,” Brown said. “It is an outrage.”
French was shot and killed at 9 p.m. Saturday during a traffic stop in Englewood. Her partner was also shot and remains in critical condition.
Emonte Morgan, 21, has been charged with first-degree murder of a peace officer, attempted first-degree murder of a police officer, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon in her slaying.
His brother, Eric Morgan, 19, was charged with of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and obstruction of justice.
Both were ordered held without bail in Cook County courts.
Danzy, 29 of Hammond, was charged in federal court with conspiracy to violate federal weapons laws for allegedly buying the gun used in the shooting. He was ordered released Wednesday, drawing the angry statement from Brown, who has repeatedly criticized the court system for releasing suspects.
“This decision sets a dangerous precedent that straw purchasers like Danzy are not a danger to society, despite the fact that his alleged actions directly led to the murder of a Chicago Police Officer and left another in critical condition,” Brown said.
Federal authorities said Danzy bought the Glock .22 semiautomatic handgun in Hammond on March 18, falsely certifying on paperwork that it was for him. Instead, the feds say he was really buying it for a man not allowed to buy a gun because of a felony conviction.
The gun found at the scene was the same Glock registered to Danzy, the feds said. The Honda CR-V that the Morgan brothers were allegedly in when the officers pulled them over was also registered to Danzy, according to a criminal complaint.
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