Park Forest Cop Acquitted In 2013 Death Of 95-Year-Old Man
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Cook County judge has acquitted a Park Forest police officer of reckless conduct charges in the death of an elderly man who became combative with paramedics at a nursing home a year and a half ago.
Cook County Associate Judge Luciano Panici presided over Officer Craig Taylor's four-day bench trial last month. He announced the not guilty verdict Wednesday afternoon.
Taylor, 44, fired five beanbag rounds at 95-year-old John Wrana at a senior housing complex in July 2013, after Wrana resisted paramedics and senior center staff who were trying to take him to a hospital.
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Wrana brandished a knife and cane at police officers, threatening them and others.
Taylor testified he was in fear for his life, and fired bean bag rounds from a 12-gauge shotgun only after another officer's stun gun misfired.
Prosecutors alleged Taylor was unreasonable and unjustified in shooting Wrana with the beanbag rounds, but defense attorneys argued Wrana was a spry and active 95, and posed a threat, and police responded by the book.
WBBM's Mike Krauser reports Taylor was in tears Wednesday in court and his lawyer Terry Ekl says he feels bad that John Wrana died.
"Maybe if one of his family members had decided to go to the nursing home that day when asked to do so to help calm him down, that may have helped things," Eckl said. "If John Wrana didn't have a 12 inch filet knife in his hand, if John Wrana hadn't refused surgery in the hospital, he may very well be alive today…there is a lot of things that if we all had to something we could do differently we would."
Taylor is facing a civil suit by the Wrana family, who were visibly upset and like the prosecutors, left the courthouse without comment.
States Attorney Anita Alvarez says she still believes acted recklessly.
"I really do think other actions could have been taken and more restraint could have been shown to this victim," she said.
Officer Taylor had been assigned to desk duty and he'll now return to street patrols.
