Opening arguments began Tuesday in the trial of a man charged with the murder of a Metra Police officer in south suburban Harvey in September 2006.
Metra Police Officer Thomas Cook was killed while sitting in his squad car outside the 147th street Metra Station in Harvey when he was shot in the head before someone stole his service revolver. He had been monitoring activity at the station following a rash of reported armed robberies.
Jemetric Nicholson, 28, was charged with first-degree murder in 2010, four years after Cook was shot and killed in the line of duty.
“It feels good to start it after so many years of waiting,” said the officer’s widow, Pam Cook.
Before Pam Cook testified about losing her husband, prosecutor’s told the jury in their opening statement that the “evidence in this case is clear” that Nicholson killed officer cook.
The defense and defendant’s family want the jury to understand that “Nicholson is not guilty of first degree murder.”
“I hope he gets a fair trial and hope everything is played out correct and he did not do it," Nicholson's fiancee Samaria Matthews said.
“My brother was set up," said Nicholson's brother Lazeric Lipscomb. "He’s going to be found not guilty because he’s not guilty.”
Cook’s family hopes this trial will finally bring her justice.
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“We just hope at the end of this she can put closure to this and the people that committed these crimes will serve their time,” said Terri Hilliard, Pam Cook's sister.
Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez alleged in 2010 that Nicholson and an accomplice, identified as 22-year-old Jonathon Lloyd, shot the officer in order to steal his gun.
Allegedly, Lloyd acted as a lookout while Nicholson approached the squad car and shot Cook twice in the head.
Lloyd was arrested in 2009 and pleaded guilty to first-degree murder charges. He is currently serving a 40-year prison sentence.