Chicago cop guilty of reckless homicide, DUI in death of cyclist, 13

BY RUMMANA HUSSAIN Criminal Courts Reporter rhussain@suntimes.com January 18, 2012 3:30PM

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Richard Bolling, former Chicago cop found guilty of driving drunk and killing Trenton Booker.

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Updated: January 18, 2012 8:27PM

Chicago Police Officer Richard Bolling was handled with kid gloves when he was arrested in a deadly drunken hit-and-run crash, prosecutors said, rebutting claims that the 17-year veteran never received or sought special treatment.

Bolling certainly didn't get too many favors from a Cook County jury Wednesday afternoon.

After over nine hours of deliberations, jurors — who sat through five days of testimony — convicted Bolling of aggravated DUI, reckless homicide and leaving the scene of the accident for the May 22, 2009 collision.

Bolling, 42, showed no emotion when the guilty verdicts were read. The family of 13-year-old Trenton Booker embraced one another and quietly wept.

"We feel vindicated. ... We got justice for Trenton," the dead teen's father Terrence Booker said as his voice cracked and tears welled up in his eyes.

"The jury was smart. They knew what was going on. They figured it out. They put us through a little strain on waiting, but we're so proud of the jury."

Judge Matthew Coghlan immediately revoked Bolling's bond, and the married father of two was taken into custody.

Bolling can be sentenced to probation or up to 15 years in prison for his off-duty crimes.

The officer's attorney said he will try to convince the judge that it would be unfair to punish Bolling by sending him to prison at his Feb. 17 sentencing.

Bolling "is a decent law-abiding, honest, church-going family man" and up until the fatal wreck at 81st and Ashland, he was known as a "leader" in the community, Thomas Needham said.

Terrence Booker wasn't convinced. He said it was hard listening to squad car recordings of Bolling rambling about the White Castle meal he left in his Dodge Charger and damage the vehicle sustained as Booker's son took his last breath.

"That just showed what type of person he was," Terrence Booker said of the audiotape.

Needham said Bolling was "upset" with the jury's decision but reiterated that he never sought favors since he was arrested for running over Trenton as the bicycling teen pedaled northbound in the southbound lanes of Ashland.

However, assistant state's attorneys Ashley Romito and Peter Goutos argued throughout the trial that Bolling was granted leniency every step of the way.

His colleagues in blue didn't ask him to perform field sobriety test until two hours after the accident, and he wasn't ask to blow into a Breathalyzer until 4 1/2 hours later, they said.

Bolling's blood alcohol level registered at .079 — just a bit shy of the .08 legal intoxication level when he finally took the Breathalyzer. Had he been given the test sooner his blood alcohol level would have been between .124 or .169, according to Jennifer Bash, an Illinois State Police forensic toxicologist testifying for prosecutors.

"That don't even matter now," Terrence Bolling said of the perks prosecutors said Bolling received. "He was convicted."

Bolling was suspended following his arrest and the city is moving to fire him, Needham said.
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