A judge has dismissed official misconduct charges against a Chicago police officer accused of beating a female bartender half his size after she refused to serve him more drinks.
A judge has dismissed official misconduct charges against a Chicago police officer accused of beating a female bartender half his size after she refused to serve him more drinks. Anthony Abbate (ah-BAHT’-ee) had been charged with one count of aggravated battery and two counts of official misconduct for the February 2007 incident, which was caught on video. But Judge John Fleming dismissed the misconduct charges, saying former bartender Karolina Obrycka (ob-RYE’-kah) herself testified that Abbate never showed his badge or identified himself as an officer. The judge says that means he wasn’t acting in an official capacity and can’t be charged with misconduct. After prosecutors rested their case Tuesday, Abbate’s attorney also asked the judge to dismiss the aggravated battery charge, but the judge refused. Abbate’s lawyer now gets the opportunity to present his defense. He’s suggested that Abbate was acting in self-defense. ______ Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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