NEWS > 05 October 2006

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Houston Chronicle - United Sta
05 October 2006

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Wis. police to plead guilty in

MILWAUKEE � A suspended police officer and a former officer agreed Thursday to plead guilty to federal civil rights charges in the 2004 beating of a biracial man that inflamed racial tensions in the city, prosecutors said.

U.S. Attorney Steve Biskupic said he expects to file more charges in the coming weeks stemming from the attack on Frank Jude Jr. outside a party at an officer's house. Jude was kicked and punched by a group of white men who identified themselves as off-duty police officers.

Suspended police officer Joseph Schabel agreed to plead guilty to violating Jude's civil rights in the attack and to obstruction of justice, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Department of Justice.

Schabel kicked Jude in the head during the party in October 2004 but denied it repeatedly in sworn statements and testimony, the complaint said.

Jon Clausing, a former Milwaukee police officer, agreed to plead guilty to conspiring with other off-duty officers to violate the civil rights of Jude and another man, Lovell Harris, by assaulting them at the party.

Police Chief Nan Hegerty said news of the charges was difficult for the department, which will start the process to fire Schabel.

"It's a dark day for the Milwaukee Police Department, but people need to be held accountable for their behavior," Hegerty said.

LaVerne McCoy, president of the League of Martin, an organization of black police officers in Milwaukee, said she was very pleased that federal charges were brought in the case.

"I didn't have a whole lot of hope that they would be," she said. "Justice has been served."

Jude, 28, said the attackers put a knife to his throat and jammed a pen in his ears as he begged for mercy. The men accused Jude of stealing a police badge, but no badge was found and he was not charged with theft.

Biskupic did not say how many more people he expects to charge or what the counts would be. He said Schabel and Clausing agreed to testify against other officers as part of a plea deal that will keep them from facing state charges.

County prosecutors previously charged three other officers, but an all-white jury acquitted them of most charges in April and made no convictions. The Milwaukee Police Department disciplined 13 officers after the beating.

Schabel faces up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. Clausing faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The men had not been taken into police custody by Thursday afternoon, Biskupic said.

Jude was imprisoned after his parole was revoked last November because of a domestic dispute with his mother. He is relieved people are coming forward, his attorney Jonathan Safran said.

"Finally, we're hearing the truth coming out," Safran said. "We finally have officers accepting responsibility."

A message left for Schabel's attorney was not immediately returned Thursday afternoon. Clausing's attorney, Ray Dall'Osto, said his client decided to cooperate with authorities in the interest of his family, himself and the community.

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Article sourced from

Houston Chronicle - United Sta05 October 2006

Wis. police to plead guilty in

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Houston Chronicle - United Sta
05 October 2006