Cop Anthony Abbate Gets Probation, No Jail, For Beating Female Bartender (WATCH SURVEILLANCE VIDEO)

CHICAGO — An off-duty Chicago police officer convicted of pummeling a female bartender half his size was sentenced Tuesday to two years probation and anger management classes for the videotaped attack that appeared worldwide on the Internet and cable news channels.

Cook County Circuit Judge John Fleming also gave Anthony Abbate, 40, a home curfew of 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and ordered him to perform 130 hours of community service.

"No one in recent memory ... has done more to tarnish the reputation of the Chicago Police Department than Anthony Abbate," Cook County Assistant State's Attorney LuAnn Snow said Tuesday.

Prosecutors had asked for prison for Abbate -- he could have been sentenced to up to five years behind bars -- but the judge said he didn't see aggravating factors to justify a prison term. The judge said Abbate had a clean record before the incident, did not seriously injure the bartender, and underwent alcohol rehab "and has not had a relapse."

"If I believed sentencing Anthony Abbate to prison would stop people from getting drunk and hitting people, I'd give him the maximum sentence," Fleming said.

Earlier this month, the judge rejected Abbate's claim he acted in self-defense and convicted him of aggravated battery. A tavern security video shows a drunken, 250-pound Abbate punching and kicking the 125-pound Karolina Obrycka as she tended bar in February 2007. The altercation happened after she refused to serve him more drinks.

The video captured a lot of attention as another example of misconduct by Chicago police. Then-Superintendent Phil Cline suddenly announced his retirement shortly after the video surfaced and former FBI official Jody Weis was appointed to the spot with an order to clean up the department's image.

Abbate acknowledged during the trial that he was drunk during the incident. But he said Obrycka pushed him first as she tried to remove him from behind the bar. Obrycka said during the hearing that she continues to suffer psychological wounds, often has nightmares and has trouble trusting people, including her husband.

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Prosecutors and Obrycka said they were disappointed with the sentence. Her attorney, Terry Ekl, said he expected the lawsuit Obrycka filed against Abbate and city to go to trial this year.

Abbate declined comment as he walked out of the courtroom holding his girlfriend's hand.

"He's not a bad man, he did something bad," said his defense attorney, Peter Hickey. He characterized the incident at "one silly, stupid act."

Abbate has been relieved of his duties and pay, Chicago Police Department spokesman Officer Robert Perez said.

The department is looking into "separation proceedings," Perez said. Weis has said he wants Abbate fired.

-ASSOCIATED PRESS

Watch the security camera footage of the beating:

Comments

[Cycadeoidea]

Fire Abbate. Let him find a new job--as a bartender.

[TheAlchemist]

Addiction is a disease.

It's not having the disease that gets someone into trouble. It's how the person manages the disease.

For this guy, disease management at the time meant pummeling a bartender half his size because she refused to serve him any more.

How is he managing his disease now?

[MovingtoNorway]

A shot and a beer to celebrate this abomination of justice

[whocan]

DO NOT RETAIN ANY JUDGES , EVER

[johnnygoodwud]

chicago politics at it's finest. her attorney screwed up. they could have asked that the judge be taken off the case and requested a new judge. to late now. that happened to a friend of mine who was going through a big time high profile divorce. they thought the judge was in her husbands pocket, and got the case switched to another judge.

[sbabwb]

A few years ago, some drunk off duty Chicago cops shot at and chased a black couple from Beverly (Chicago) to Robbins, IL. The cops chased them down Western Ave. The couple had to run to the nearest police department for safety. I am not kidding!!!

Those in my family who are either retired or still working as Chicago officers tell me about the nonsense that goes on...they also told me what to do if ever got stopped by the police. It's really sad, because all of them are not like that. That punk deserves 4 to 5 years in jail for what he did. I will never understand why they keep these idiots.

[TheAlchemist]

What is one supposed to do when stopped by police?

[sbabwb]

They just said stay calm and dont give the slightest inkling of disrespect. The police already get a kick out of bullying people so they want to find an excuse to knock some heads. I know it's not much. I know there are people who are respectful when stopped, but a**holes like him always find an excuse to hurt innocent people. I could tell you the countless stories of police brutality I've heard and witnessed, where these victims were respectful and they still got beat up and thrown in jail. I asked my father who is a retired cop if he could give me and my friends better advice... he honestly said that's all one can do.
My father told me it's a machine producing greed and invoking fear. I know their motto is "to serve and to protect," but really their job is to keep certain segments of the population afraid and the media portrays their victims as trouble makers. The only way the police and their bosses will understand that the PEOPLE will not tolerate such barbarian behavior is when we all (thousands upon thousands) stand up against them. My father said that the problem is the people are afraid of their gov't when really the gov't should be afraid of us. We put them in their positions they are being paid by our tax dollars. We contribute to our doom when we don't collectively unite.

[westreal]

This is regoddamm-dickulus.

Chicago politicians are corrupt. The cops are corrupt. This shows the judges are corrupt too.

[MalakAlHaq]

Yes, jail for both him and the judge would suit me fine.

I hope the victim can sue the Sh*t out of him and make his life unbearable for not only what he did to the victim but the image of Chicago and Illinois.

[akababs]

He should have gone to jail along with the judge who said otherwise. Not only that, he deserves the kind of whipping he put on that bartender, which he would have gotten in the joint.

[gawd]

There is another video out there of him beating someone else up on the same day in the same place.

[gawd]

THere is another video of him earlier beating someone else?!?!?! WTF

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/06/cop-to-be-sentenced-for-beating-bartender.html

[gawd]

That judge should be disbarred.

[scottymac11]

This is why Bonasera went to the Godfather. Where is Luca Brazzi when you need him?

[Chicago1771]

I want to start off by saying this guy is a piece of work. What an embarrassment he must be to his family.
Now I must say this. Him being a police officer should have nothing to do with this case. If he did something on duty that would be a different story. If you were to get in trouble while not at work would that affect your jobs? No it wouldn't.
Most people don't understand the cook county judicial system. Time and time again people are given the same sentences for crimes much worse than this. In fact a Chicago Police Officer was killed June 1st by a man who should have been locked up. The offender in this case a gangmember who was in possession of a gun got only 1 year probation. This thug violated his probation 3 times and was never taken in to custody. The judge in this case Bertha Lampkin let this man go time and time again. This my friends is the true crime. This officer would still be around had this judge and many other judges actually sentence criminals.
The fact is though based on what other people get in cook county this was about the average. You may not agree with it but thats the way these judges operate. Him being a policeman makes no difference.

[miketothad]

This pretty much validates to the Chicago thug cop that he IS above the law.
I went to my local precinct to file a complaint on 2 of them for manhandling a verbally insulting a kid in my neighborho­od...
Sergeant on duty basically laughed at me right there in the station.
I hope that young lady wins a ridiculously large lawsuit.

[henrypapillon]

He didn't get fired yet? What goes around comes around . This guy better watch his butt.