Cook County State's Attorney's Office:
Press Releases

Richard A. Devine
Cook County State's Attorney
500 Richard J. Daley Center
Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 603-3423
www.statesattorney.org

Cook County State's Attorney Richard A. Devine and Chicago police today announced that first-degree murder charges have been placed against Chicago Police Officer Edward Leak Jr.
He appeared in Branch 66 today before Judge Raymond Myles who denied bond for
Leak.

Leak, 42, a patrol officer since 1991, is charged with first-degree murder and is eligible for the death penalty. He is also charged with solicitation to commit murder for hire, a Special Class X felony punishable by up to 40 years in prison.

Leak is charged in connection with the Feb. 3, 2004, murder of Fred Hamilton, 37, of 1380 E. Hyde Park Blvd. Charged earlier in this murder were John Brown and Edward Marley.

"There is no crime that so undermines the public's confidence in law enforcement as one committed by a corrupt police officer," said Devine. "Our office worked very diligently with the Chicago Police to bring charges against all three of these suspects."

"Our efforts on this investigation demonstrate the Chicago Police Department's genuine commitment to identifying and weeding out any police officer who is engaged in wrongdoing of any kind," said First Deputy Supt. Dana Starks. "I am proud of the investigators who were instrumental in bringing homicide charges in this case. They followed the facts with the same vigor that they would in any other homicide investigation."

The evidence will show that the execution of Hamilton on the street at 7947 S. Prairie, Chicago, was a murder for hire initiated and planned by Leak. Both Brown and Marley are alleged to have shot the victim. Leak asked Brown to murder Hamilton for a portion that would come from the proceeds of a $500,000 insurance policy that Leak had taken out on Hamilton, authorities said.

In the insurance policy, Leak claimed that he and Hamilton were business partners, authorities said. Leak is a nephew of the Spencer Leak Sr., the owner of the funeral home. When an accountant discovered the missing funds, the funeral home pursued charged against Hamilton but not against Edward Leak.

When Hamilton called Chicago Police Internal Affairs to expose Leak's involvement in the embezzlement schemes and other fraudulent schemes, Leak began to publicly threaten Hamilton's life. Not long after that, Leak first contacted Brown and began the first of a series of cell phone calls on Jan. 1, 2004, about a month before the murder. Neither Marley nor Brown had any relationship with the victim before the shooting, authorities said.

On the night of the murder, Marley disabled Hamilton's car. He and Brown shot Hamilton multiple times on the street shortly after the tow truck arrived to tow away Hamilton's vehicle, prosecutors said. After the shooting, they fled and were supposed to be picked up by Leak at a nearby restaurant at 79th Street and King Drive. But when Leak failed to show up, police arrested Brown after a brief foot chase. Marley escaped. He was later arrested and made a videotape confession in which he admitted the entire scheme, authorities said.

Police and prosecutors want to acknowledge the invaluable assistance from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas task force for their help in the investigation.

Brown, 34, of 1306 W. 77th Pl., is scheduled for his next court appearance before Judge Diane Cannon on July 25. Marley, 45, of 7717 S. Aberdeen, has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to appear before Judge Cannon on Aug. 18.

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