A former Chicago cop was in jail today, accused of threatening people involved in investigating the deadly shooting of a Fox Lake, Illinois, police officer.
On Friday, a man later identified as retired Chicago Police Officer Joseph Battaglia, blocked his number and called the Lake County Coroner’s Office, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said.
“The subject said he was a ‘retired police officer’ and threatened to harm all of the Task Force members, as well as all of the other investigators involved in the death investigation of Fox Lake Police Lieutenant [Charles Joseph] Gliniewicz,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release today. “These threats included Coroner Rudd and Coroner’s Office employees, unless all the involved personnel declare Gliniewicz’ death a suicide.”
Gliniewicz was shot dead Sept. 1 shortly after he radioed that he was chasing three men. Gliniewicz was 52 and nearing retirement after more than 30 years with the police department.
Battaglia, 54, has no involvement in the Gliniewicz investigation, according to the Sheriff’s Office. He was arrested at his home in Oak Lawn, Illinois, on two counts of disorderly conduct, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Battaglia also called other police agencies and several media outlets this week, the Sheriff’s Office said.
It was unknown whether Battaglia might be an anonymous source who has been providing information to media outlets, the sheriff’s office said, but added that Battaglia’s phone records show he spoke “with several media outlets during a similar time period.”
Further investigation into Battaglia’s phone calls remains under investigation, the Sheriff’s Office said, adding that additional charges are possible.
Battaglia remains in jail today, Christopher Covelli of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office told ABC News. It’s believed Battaglia does not have a lawyer, Covelli said.
His next court date is scheduled for Sept. 15, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Disorderly conduct? We would be charged with terrorism if we did the same thing.
Exactly. The double-standard is infuriating.
Beyond that, this is a bizarre twist in the case. Sure, pigs are stupid, but even they know how easily phone calls can be traced.
Maybe this guy is just a nutjob. Too many steroids over the years might have screwed up his puny brain.
he’s suffering the condition known as “doughnut block to the brain”
Threatening them if they DONT rule the death a suicide?
ODD.
Im starting to think this was actually a hit style execution. Or perhaps a forgery.