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

[RandVictims]

Good ole boys - 1
American Public - 0

[pumpkin13]

the fellow who stole lance armstrongs bike and then returned that bike, just got sentanced to three years in prison. he should have just beat people. justice system is a joke.

[liarsclub75]

What a disgrace!!

[ChiGuy]

He'd better hope that Ms. Obrycka doesn't have relatives in the area who feel he wasn't punished enough.

(I'd help them)

[jessriv]

Forgot to submit said email...

I address this email to the Presiding Judge of Cook County.

As member of the bar in good standing in another state and a concerned citizen, I am appalled by Judge Fleming's sentence in the case of disgraced officer Anthony Abbate. Mr. Abbate abused the public trust and has brought shame and disrepute to police officers. While his service as a police officer is laudable, his conduct in this case is all the more reprehensible for the public trust and confidence he has abused.

Sadly, Judge Fleming appears to have afforded the defendant "special" and preferential treatment, rather than recognizing that he should be held to a higher, not lower, standard than the average defendant, given his training and experience as a police officer.

Judge Fleming should be reassigned to a post in which he will be denied the opportunity to show favor to abusive police officers in the future. I, for one, suggest traffic court, until the good citizens of Cook county vote him out of office.

[jessriv]

This is what me and my boyfriend wrote to the Presiding Judge of Cook County ... Please see my post below for the website address for said Judge so that you may do the same!

Also note, Judges are elected therefore Judge Fleming cannot be removed without a recall election by voters. However, sufficient public outpouring and expressions of dissatisfaction can make the consequences of his decision very apparent.

Banish him to traffic court!

[separatingwheatfromchaff]

He deserves prison as an accomplice.

[OliverTwist]

Special privileges for police and judges.

Too bad - especially for the rest of us.

The judge should be removed.

[chic111]

This is disgusting. If he had been black or not a police officer (of any color) he would have gotten the maximum. I have lived here all of my life. I have to say, since everyone carries a camera, things have gotten a little better. But the police force is still full of nut jobs, women haters, and people with some very serious anger issues. There are some good cops, and at times even the nut jobs can act very heroically.
In the trial, even with the video, this criminal said it was the bartender that "threw him around like a rag doll". This guy should have gotten at least 4 years. I will be contacting the judge. I hope others will too.

[poppahymen]

As a Chicagoan I am deeply embarrassed. This is not a good reflection on our city. 99% of the people i know believed he should have been in jail for at least 5 years.

My apologies go out to the victim.

This is not justice!!

This is tyranny!!!!!!!!!!

[notinKansas]

I wonder how Mayor Daley feels about this. This can't help at all in his bid for the Olymics. Makes the city look really ugly.

[hernan1333]

this big p*ss and the other patron who watched while this woman was being pummeled should both be locked up...

[Genevieve Wimp-mccann]

This is another example of the favoritism, injustice, and sex.ist foundations of the court in the City of Chicago. This woman took a beating for doing her job after this man came around the bar to serve himself more booze. The judge in this case had flawed logic in not sentencing him to jail time. I am so angry I could spit. I hope he is fired, I hope she has a victorious legitimate civil suit. For every action there are consequences and no amount of rehab, first time stupid act, community service is going to change that this was a huge man beating on a woman half his size because she would not serve him more alcohol.

[Skedaddle]

I've got a golden ticket! I've got a golden twinkle in my eye!

[clearwaterclearmind]

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

really, judge fleming? aren't harsh prison sentences for violent crimes supposed to be the deterrent, to make it known that the consequence of committing a violent crime is hard time? not for this guy though, huh?

let's crack open your records and see if you'v been as full of benevolent wisdom in similar cases where the defendant was not a cop.

[jessriv]

I'm writing an email to demand accountability of the Judge who rendered this "sentence." I encourage any one else who is as outraged as I am to do the same!

The following is a link to the Cook County Court email addresses...

While the judge may be an elected official the presiding judge has the discretion to banish him to traffic court until the voters run Flemming out in two years!

http://www.cookcountycourt.net/contact-us-frame.html

God Bless America

[sjaz]

This is so unbelievable! Two years probation?! 130 hours of community service? This is slap in the face to victims everywhere. Why is he above the law? Why does this ciminal get to keep his job?! He probably has a history of violence.