15 more plaintiffs file suit against alleged anti-gay cop: Alvarez takes cop off witness stand and throws out his pending DUI cases

15 more plaintiffs file suit against alleged anti-gay cop: Alvarez takes cop off witness stand and throws out his pending DUI cases
Amy Wooten and Matt Simonette
Copyright by the Chicago Free Press
November 12, 2009
http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/4064


Officer Richard Fiorito, who has been accused of falsifying numerous DUI allegations in order to increase his overtime pay during court appearances, will no longer be used as a witness for DUI cases by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office.



CFP also learned that the Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez is dismissing all pending Fiorito DUI cases, a move attorney Jon Erickson called “extremely good news” for his clients.

“My clients are elated that Alvarez is finally doing the right thing by dismissing all pending Fiorito DUI cases, but will not rest until she indicts him for his crimes,” Erickson said.

On Wednesday, 15 additional plaintiffs filed civil lawsuits against Fiorito. Currently, 36 people have filed suit against the cop, alleging that he falsified DUI arrests, perjured himself in court and, in several cases, used anti-gay language.

Erickson told CFP that while he has probably 60 additional potential plaintiffs, attorneys are being extremely selective.

Fiorito’s beat was the Boystown area, and he arrested a number of persons after they were leaving gay bars.

Though Alvarez had ordered a grand jury investigation into Fiorito’s arrests back in March, she had continued to use him as a witness in DUI cases, much to the chagrin of community activists. There has not yet been an indictment against Fiorito.

“It just shows so clearly that protest works,” said Gay Liberation Network co-founder Andy Thayer in response to the news that Alvarez would no longer use Fiorito as a witness. The local GLBT community, in recent months, has placed a lot of pressure on the Chicago Police Department and local politicians through protest and media coverage.

But despite the victory, community members are still concerned that the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office has yet to file criminal charges against the officer.

“We still have a way to go,” Thayer said, adding that Chicago has a history of dragging its feet when it comes to prosecuting alleged crooked cops. “This guy should not be collecting a City of Chicago paycheck,” he added.

In October, after community pressure coupled with mainstream press coverage of the issue, Fiorito was placed on desk duty.

“All that came as a result of protest,” Thayer said. “It’s great that we’ve gotten this progress, but its awful so many people’s lives, in some cases, have been severally disrupted.”

Erickson recently release addition video footage of Fiorito’s arrests—footage that runs counter to testimony that he had given in court.
 
A spokesperson for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office told ABC7 that the office had acknowledged that Fiorito no longer had any credibility as a witness and would no longer be used as a witness for the prosecution. 



The most recent video can be viewed at bit.ly/30h2qc.

Thayer added that GLN is prepared to continue to place pressure on the Chicago Police Department and Alvarez’ office. GLN and others will attend an upcoming police board meeting at Chicago Police Department headquarters on Nov. 19 at 35th and Michigan. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. To sign up to speak during the meeting, call (312) 742-4194 in advance.