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Anita Alvarez
Cook County State's Attorney
Communications Department
Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 603-3423
saomedia@cookcountygov.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

April 15, 2010

A north suburban police officer was arrested today and is facing felony criminal charges in connection with a traffic stop in which the officer is captured on videotape beating a motorist repeatedly with his police baton, Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez announced today.

Streamwood Police Officer James Mandarino, 41, was charged with Aggravated Battery and Official Misconduct today following a joint investigation by the State’s Attorney’s Office and the Streamwood Police Department.

The motorist sustained a concussion, seven stitches to his ear and multiple contusions and abrasions as a result of the altercation and the passenger in the vehicle was tasered twice during the encounter.  The videotape, captured by Mandarino’s squad car dash camera, showed no evidence that the motorist or his passenger ever resisted arrest or presented any physical threat to the officer, according to prosecutors.

Mandarino surrendered to authorities this morning and appeared in bond court at the Cook County Criminal Courts Building in Chicago.

According to prosecutors, the incident occurred on March 28, 2010, at approximately 3:45 am in the area of Schaumburg Road and East Avenue in Streamwood.  Mandarino, a 15-year veteran of the department, was working the overnight shift when he observed the motorist’s vehicle and began a pursuit. Mandarino pursued the vehicle a short distance before the driver of the vehicle parked the car in the driveway of his home.

According to prosecutors, Mandarino exited his squad car with his weapon drawn pointing his gun at the motorist and his passenger. During the subsequent incident, Mandarino tasered the passenger twice and then drew his collapsible metal police baton and struck the driver, who was attempting to comply with the officer’s orders, 15 times about the head, neck and shoulders.

“Every law enforcement officer holds his or her powers through the public trust and this defendant’s senseless act of rage against an unarmed citizen constitutes an offensive violation of that trust,” Alvarez said. “This conduct cannot and will not be tolerated.”

Alvarez thanked the Streamwood Police Department for their cooperation and assistance in the investigation as well as the Assistant State’s Attorney’s from the Professional Standards Unit who handled the case.

The public is reminded that criminal charging documents contain allegations that are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the state has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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