A juror who helped rule against the City of Chicago in a civil case involving an off-duy police officer who viciously beat up a bartender is appalled that the verdict may be erased.
A federal judge will rule Friday whether to overturn last month's jury verdict and allow city officials to pay Karolina Obrycka $850,000 -- a motion Obrycka agrees with because she'd get her money quickly and wouldn't have to go through an appeals process.
Anthony Abbate's beating of Obrycka was captured on videotape. The jury found that the police department's "code of silence" obstructed the investigation in order to protect Abbate.
Juror Dr. Joseph R. Lentino told the Chicago Tribune the new legal developments were "morally reprehensible," and described Mayor Rahm Emanuel's response to the verdict as that of a "petulant child" who "didn't get what he wanted" and now wants it to change.
The city wants to vacate the verdict in order to eliminate the police "code of silence" precedent, which could be used in future lawsuits.
