Tributes Continue For Chicago Police Officers Killed By Train
CHICAGO (CBS)--Tributes continue today for two Chicago Police officers killed in the line of duty.
The services for officers Conrad Gary and Eduardo Marmolejo will be held Thursday and Friday at Blake-Lamb Funeral Home in Oak Lawn, as the young man who police say triggered the chain of events that lead to their deaths prepares to face a judge.
Edward Brown, the man the officers were pursuing when they were fatally struck by a South Shore train Monday, is set to appear in bond court Thursday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.
Brown has been charged with reckless discharge of a firearm and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
Those crimes could send him to prison for up to three years.
Brown has no prior criminal record, but police say he fired shots into the air Monday night that ultimately caused the police officers to lose their lives when they were struck by a train.
The officers were following up on a lead from shot spotter when they stepped out of the path of one train and into the path of another train that was approaching from behind.
Although the outcome of Brown's alleged crime cost the lives of the officers, CBS Legal Analyst Irv Miller says it does not warrant a more serious charge.
Miller said overcharging, in his view, would have just lead to a not-guilty verdict.
"A prosecutor, ethically, is supposed to charge an offense based upon the evidence," Miller said. "Clearly, legally, this is not a felony murder and would have been prosecutorial misconduct to charge a murder in this case"
Miller says that although seeing Brown charged with class-four felonies might be tough for the families of the officers, he says hearing a not guilty after a lengthy trial would be even tougher.
The wake for Officer Conrad Gary will take place from 3 to 9 p.m. on Friday Dec. 20 at Blake Lamb Funeral Home, located at 4727 W. 103rd St. in Oak Lawn. Police will hold a St. Jude service at 7 p.m. The funeral will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 21 at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel located at 7740 S. Western Ave.
The wake for Officer Eduardo Marmolejo will take place from 3 to 9 p.m. on Friday Dec. 21 at Blake Lamb Funeral Home, located at 4727 W. 103rd St. in Oak Lawn. Police will hold a St. Jude service at 7 p.m. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday Dec. 22 at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel located at 7740 S. Western Ave.
Yesterday, colleagues lined up to salute the bodies of the officers as they were transferred from the Cook County Medical Examiner to the Blake-Lamb Funeral Home.
