Three men pleaded not guilty Thursday on charges of aggravated battery, and aggravated discharge of a firearm in an incident last month that seriously wounded an off-duty Chicago police officer on the Far South Side.
Bryant Hayes and Justen Krismantis, both 22, and Demitrius Harrell, 28, were all arrested shortly after a shooting took place July 9 at approximately 2:30 a.m., at a bar in the 2400 block of West 104th Street in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood, police said.
Off-duty Chicago police officer Daniel Golden, 32, had just helped break up a fight outside the bar and was walking away when he was shot in the back, according to authorities.
As a result of the injuries, Golden is currently paralyzed from the waist down, family members say.
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Golden, who hails from a family of cops, “was doing what he could to keep people apart” and had even stopped someone from chasing the man who minutes later grabbed a gun and fired off 19 rounds, Asst. State’s Atty. James Murphy said during a previous court hearing.
Harrell was charged with unlawful use of weapon as a felon and aggravated discharge of a firearm; Hayes with aggravated unlawful use of weapon and aggravated discharge of a firearm; Krismantis with aggravated discharge of a firearm, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and obstructing an officer.
All three men pleaded not guilty to charges this week. The next court date is scheduled for Oct. 13.
