Martell Williams Offered McDonald's by Police in Exchange for Confession—Attorney
BY KHALEDA RAHMAN ON 2/22/22 AT 7:42 AM EST
The family of a 15-year-old boy are demanding an apology after the teenager was wrongly arrested and allegedly offered McDonald's in exchange for a confession.
Martell Williams, a freshman at Waukegan High School in Waukegan, Illinois, was abruptly pulled out of class last Wednesday.
"Once I reached the office, there were two officers there," he said, according to WGN-TV. "As soon as I got in, they didn't tell me nothing. They just said, 'you're under arrest.'"
The teenager, who is Black, was charged with attempted murder and aggravated battery in connection with a February 4 shooting at a Dollar Store.
The Waukegan Police Department had released photos of the person suspected of shooting an employee in the face.
"The officer said that multiple people came to him and said that it was me," Williams said during a news conference in front of the department on Monday.
His attorney Kevin O'Connor said detectives had immediately started working to elicit a confession from the teenager. They tried "to bribe him with McDonald's saying, 'Look, just tell us you were there,'" O'Connor said, according to WGN-TV.
"They don't even tell him about a shooting. 'Just tell us you were there and we'll have you home in ten minutes.'"
Williams subsequently spent two nights in the Lake County Juvenile Detention Center.
But he was let go after his family proved that he was nowhere near the Dollar Store in Waukegan when the shooting occurred.
They provided a time-stamped photo proving Williams was playing in a high school basketball game in Lincolnshire at the time.
The charges against Williams were dropped and his record has been expunged, according to radio station WLS.
But at the news conference, his attorney called for a public apology from the police department. "This is a continuing and ongoing problem," O'Connor said.
Waukegan Deputy Chief of Administration Joe Florip told Newsweek that Williams has been eliminated as a suspect in the case, but did not comment further.
Florip pointed to a statement released by the City of Waukegan in response to Monday's news conference.
"With regard to the juvenile suspect who was arrested last Wednesday and subsequently released and cleared of any accusations on Friday, the City is reviewing the case, but cannot make further public comment at this time," the statement said.
"The City has been in contact with the juvenile's family and their attorney. The City will continue to communicate with and provide information to the family's attorney as it gathers the facts and circumstances that led to this situation.
"At this time, the City has no further comment on this issue. The shooting incident from February 4, 2022, remains an open and active case."
Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart told WGN-TV that his office was "very concerned" by the arrest.
"Our office dropped the new charges as soon as the new information was presented to us by the Waukegan Police Department," Rinehart said.
Kevin O'Connor and Eric Rinehart have been contacted for additional comment.
www.newsweek.com
BY KHALEDA RAHMAN ON 2/22/22 AT 7:42 AM EST
The family of a 15-year-old boy are demanding an apology after the teenager was wrongly arrested and allegedly offered McDonald's in exchange for a confession.
Martell Williams, a freshman at Waukegan High School in Waukegan, Illinois, was abruptly pulled out of class last Wednesday.
"Once I reached the office, there were two officers there," he said, according to WGN-TV. "As soon as I got in, they didn't tell me nothing. They just said, 'you're under arrest.'"
The teenager, who is Black, was charged with attempted murder and aggravated battery in connection with a February 4 shooting at a Dollar Store.
The Waukegan Police Department had released photos of the person suspected of shooting an employee in the face.
"The officer said that multiple people came to him and said that it was me," Williams said during a news conference in front of the department on Monday.
His attorney Kevin O'Connor said detectives had immediately started working to elicit a confession from the teenager. They tried "to bribe him with McDonald's saying, 'Look, just tell us you were there,'" O'Connor said, according to WGN-TV.
"They don't even tell him about a shooting. 'Just tell us you were there and we'll have you home in ten minutes.'"
Williams subsequently spent two nights in the Lake County Juvenile Detention Center.
But he was let go after his family proved that he was nowhere near the Dollar Store in Waukegan when the shooting occurred.
They provided a time-stamped photo proving Williams was playing in a high school basketball game in Lincolnshire at the time.
The charges against Williams were dropped and his record has been expunged, according to radio station WLS.
But at the news conference, his attorney called for a public apology from the police department. "This is a continuing and ongoing problem," O'Connor said.
Waukegan Deputy Chief of Administration Joe Florip told Newsweek that Williams has been eliminated as a suspect in the case, but did not comment further.
Florip pointed to a statement released by the City of Waukegan in response to Monday's news conference.
"With regard to the juvenile suspect who was arrested last Wednesday and subsequently released and cleared of any accusations on Friday, the City is reviewing the case, but cannot make further public comment at this time," the statement said.
"The City has been in contact with the juvenile's family and their attorney. The City will continue to communicate with and provide information to the family's attorney as it gathers the facts and circumstances that led to this situation.
"At this time, the City has no further comment on this issue. The shooting incident from February 4, 2022, remains an open and active case."
Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart told WGN-TV that his office was "very concerned" by the arrest.
"Our office dropped the new charges as soon as the new information was presented to us by the Waukegan Police Department," Rinehart said.
Kevin O'Connor and Eric Rinehart have been contacted for additional comment.
Police Offered Wrongly Arrested Teen McDonald's for Confession—Attorney
The 15-year-old spent two nights in custody until his family provided a time-stamped photo showing he was not involved in the shooting he was arrested for.
www.newsweek.com
