EX-COP HELPED MURDERER, PROSECUTORS SAY

A former Chicago police officer, accused of running a drug ring, gave
a killer on the run the police's own file on the slaying and helped
others beat criminal charges by suggesting questions their defense
attorneys should ask in court, prosecutors allege.

More details emerged Monday in the case against Joseph Miedzianowski
and his partner, John Galligan. Prosecutors released court documents
describing what they will try to prove at Miedzianowski's upcoming
trial on Jan. 23. Galligan will be tried at a later date.

So far, 15 out of the 23 people charged in the drug conspiracy case
have pleaded guilty.

Prosecutors allege Miedzianowski and Galligan recruited gang members
and drug dealers as informants after arresting them and telling them
they could help "work out" their court problems.

But those relationships soon got twisted as the officers used their
informants to set up drug dealers to be ripped off, prosecutors
allege.

Throughout the alleged conspiracy, Miedzianowski would threaten
revenge against his partners in crime if they crossed him, according
to court documents.

He threatened to retaliate against one man's "mother, father,
brother, sister, cat, dog and so on," according to the court filing.

The two officers ripped off drug dealers from the mid-1980s to about
1995 then turned most of their attention to a Miami-to-Chicago drug
ring that flourished under their protection, prosecutors allege.

When a main player in the drug ring was arrested in Florida in early
1998, Miedzianowski had to find other sources of cocaine, authorities
said.

So he, Galligan and others returned to ripping off drug dealers,
prosecutors allege.

One gang leader who allegedly benefitted from Miedzianowski's help
was Nelson Padilla, a "prince" in the Latin Lovers.

In January 1995, Padilla shot and killed a rival gang member, Roberto
Detres. Miedzianowski allegedly helped hide Padilla from police,
brought him a copy of the police file on the investigation, let him
read it and learn the names of witnesses. Padilla eventually was
convicted of the crime. He also has pleaded guilty in Miedzianowski's
case and is cooperating with the government.

Miedzianowski also would get cases against drug dealers tossed for
cash bribes by talking to officers he knew who were involved in the
cases, prosecutors alleged. Miedzianowski allegedly also would
suggest questions for defense attorneys to ask the testifying
officers in court.

Miedzianowski assured one associate worried about the outcome of a
criminal case that "the copper's gonna say the right thing," during
the officer's court testimony, the government alleges.

Miedzianowski allegedly bragged he had fixed 50 to 60 cases but
apologized when one case didn't work out because a judge didn't allow
the defense attorney to ask the officer the questions Miedzianowski
suggested.

"Man this is . . . this is the first time ever," Miedzianowski
apologized, according to the government.

Miedzianowski's attorney, Thomas Breen, declined to comment on the
court filing. Galligan's attorney, Michael Monico, could not be
reached.