Pubdate: Thu, 30 Jan 2003
Source: Chicago Sun-Times (IL)
Copyright: 2003 The Sun-Times Co.
Contact:  http://www.suntimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/81
Author: Frank Main, and Carlos Sadovi

COPS, PROSECUTORS LOOKING INTO '98 DRUG-RELATED SLAYING

Six pending drug cases and an unsolved murder have drawn new scrutiny from 
police and prosecutors after a Chicago police officer and a detective were 
named in a corruption indictment unsealed this week, sources say.

Chicago police Detective Jon Woodall and officer James Benson, along with 
fellow Grand Central District officer Peter Matich--who did not work on any 
pending drug cases--are charged with stealing 11 pounds of cocaine from an 
impounded car in 1998. Each plotted to receive $12,000 from the sale of the 
drugs, said the federal indictment unveiled Monday.

Gang specialist Joseph Miedzianowski, sentenced to life in prison last week 
for rampant corruption, referred the officers to a drug dealer who could 
sell the coke for them, prosecutors said.

Benson, who pleaded guilty, and Woodall, who maintains his innocence, had 
worked on six pending drug cases that prosecutors are now reviewing, 
sources said.

They're deciding whether there is evidence besides the officers' testimony 
to prosecute those cases.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Police Department's Cold Case Squad was assigned 
this week to investigate the fatal shooting of Eloy Garza, the driver of 
the car containing the 11 pounds of cocaine, sources said.

Garza was killed March 23, 1998, just 19 days after the alleged ripoff. The 
federal indictment said Woodall interfered with the investigation into 
Garza's killing, urging a drug dealer not to reveal anything about his 
relationship with the officers.

Matich says he, too, is innocent.

Benson is accused in a civil lawsuit of planting drugs on police brutality 
victim Jeremiah Mearday in 1998.

Another officer, Edgar Placencio, was stripped of his police powers Monday 
in the ongoing federal probe.
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