Cook County [IL] Judge Stanley Sacks is known to speak bluntly and snarl at attorneys who ignore court rules.
But Sacks' salty outbursts Thursday stunned even veteran court observers when the judge twice used the "F" word as he found Chicago cop Alonzo Caudillo guilty of reckless homicide in the January 2003 death of Jadzia Bobek. Sacks also tore into Chicago Police investigators, accusing them of protecting one of their own after Caudillo told his fellow cops at the crime scene, "I'm a cop."
"They show [Caudillo] professional courtesy, just walk him to the car," Sacks said. "You know damn well, if that guy was a brother from the projects, a guy on his way home from work, he'd have been in handcuffs up against the car in five seconds, but no, not Caudillo -- 'I'm a cop.' "
Sacks was just getting started.
"What any logically minded cop would have done is, pardon my language, say, 'So what the f--- do I care if you're a cop. You just hit that girl down the street. Up against the car!' "
As Sacks spoke, most in the gallery sat stone still, hanging on every word. Bobek's boyfriend, surrounded by the victim's family, wept and rocked back and forth.
Wow! I've heard plenty of judges use the "F" word, but never from the bench. Details here from the Chicago Sun-Times.