Cook County Circuit Judge Robert Kuzas found Lorena Petani, 65, and 22-year-old Lucio Zapata not guilty of misdemeanor battery following a bench trial last week.
A mother and son were acquitted of misdemeanor battery tied to the videotaped altercation they had with two teenagers who had written “Biden 2020” in chalk on the sidewalk of a South Loop park.
Lorena Petani and 22-year-old Lucio Zapata weren’t interested in commenting after they were found not guilty by Cook County Circuit Judge Robert Kuzas following a bench trial last week, their attorney said Tuesday.
“I think this is a chapter of their lives they would like to close and move on from,” lawyer Ed Wanderling said.
Prosecutors only called one of the women who said they were attacked on the stand, Wanderling said, adding that he believed her testimony contradicted recorded statements she made following the altercation.
“I think the judge made 100% the right decision,” Wanderling said.
The woman who testified did not return a voicemail message by the Chicago Sun-Times Tuesday.
The scuffle, which was first reported by Block Club Chicago, took place a day after President Joe Biden was elected in a contentious election against Donald Trump.
In the video recorded by the then 19-year-old women, Petani could be seen approaching and complaining that their drawing was “insulting,” although it wasn’t clear if it was the “Biden 2020” chalk work she was objecting to.
“Are we gonna have a war of Trump and cops versus BLM in a public park?” Petani asked. She also added, “my husband is a cop, too.”
“This is my park,” Petani is also heard saying on the video. “I doubt you pay as much as me [in taxes].”
In the video, one of the teen women is heard being dismissive of Petani’s comments and then is seen following Petani and telling her that she was recording her face.
Petani and that woman then appear to make contact with each other before the younger woman yells, “Call the police.”
According to the teenage women, Petani and Zapata pushed them to the ground, a police report said. The woman who said she was attacked by Zapata said he punched her too, the report said.
Both teenagers declined medical treatment at the time.
Petani, 65, suffered a bruised nose from the fight, Wanderling said.
from Chicago Sun-Times - All https://ift.tt/3HOdglh
No comments:
Post a Comment