This text was produced for ProPublica’s Native Reporting Community in partnership with the Invisible Institute and co-published with the Chicago Solar-Instances and WBEZ. Join Dispatches to get tales like this one as quickly as they’re printed.
A former Chicago police officer pleaded responsible on Tuesday to felony costs in reference to two incidents of sexual misconduct involving feminine colleagues — one which occurred whereas on the police coaching academy and one at a police precinct.
The case in opposition to Eric Tabb was highlighted in an Invisible Institute-ProPublica investigation that discovered that Chicago police officers have often did not vigorously examine allegations of sexual misconduct made in opposition to metropolis officers.
Tabb, 35, pleaded responsible to 2 counts of aggravated battery in a public place, a Class 3 felony, and was sentenced to 30 months of probation. As a part of a plea settlement, a few of Tabb’s costs have been dropped and he was required to enroll in a intercourse offender program.
Tabb, who was arrested in December 2023 and fired, is one in all 14 officers accused of sexual assault prior to now decade who we discovered had been accused at the least as soon as earlier than of sexual misconduct. Investigative information present that 5 of 17 girls in his academy class have given related accounts of inappropriate sexual contact involving Tabb.
A workforce of Invisible Institute reporters reviewed greater than 300 sexual misconduct and assault complaints in opposition to Chicago officers. The complaints have been usually downplayed or ignored, typically permitting officers to abuse time and again. The Chicago Police Division mentioned in an announcement for that story that it “takes all allegations of sexual assault significantly, together with allegations in opposition to CPD members.”
Throughout a listening to earlier than Cook dinner County Choose James B. Novy, Tabb’s two victims, each of whom are law enforcement officials, learn impression statements in courtroom.
“The ladies I converse for in the present day, together with myself, have been girls that trusted Eric Tabb, spending eight months with him forming that belief in a police academy. As of in the present day, there’s hope that every one us girls affected can put this prior to now,” one of many officers learn from a ready assertion.
The decide mentioned he agreed to the plea deal to permit the ladies to place the circumstances behind them.
“The one cause I went together with this deal is due to the victims,” mentioned Novy, who warned Tabb that he’ll ship him to jail if he doesn’t comply with the phrases of his probation. “Everybody desires closure. They wish to put this behind them. I’m going to maintain a detailed eye on this.”
The Cook dinner County state’s legal professional’s workplace, in an announcement Tuesday, famous the braveness of the survivors to return ahead after “a horrific betrayal of belief.”
“Regardless of the trauma they endured, these girls stood agency of their pursuit of justice, and it’s due to their energy and resolve that prosecutors have been capable of safe this conviction,” the prosecutors’ workplace mentioned. “In consequence, Eric Tabb is prohibited from ever serving as police officer once more.”
The fees stemmed from two incidents. At a celebration in August 2023 at a Wrigleyville bar, Tabb allegedly approached a fellow feminine recruit on the dance ground, whispered to her that he needed to have intercourse along with her, touched her breast, buttock and crotch, after which grabbed her face and tried to kiss her. Tabb was charged with two counts of aggravated legal sexual abuse from that incident.
The second incident passed off after roll name inside a police precinct in December 2023. Tabb allegedly touched a fellow probationary police officer’s crotch a number of instances when she stood as much as modify her responsibility belt, based on courtroom information. She had attended the coaching academy with him.
At an earlier listening to, prosecutors had requested Novy to incorporate two extra incidents that weren’t charged however have been described as a part of a sample of habits by Tabb. Tabb attended a “star get together,” an unofficial celebration for graduating recruits receiving their badge quantity. On the get together, a witness informed investigators he noticed Tabb grabbing one other feminine recruit’s crotch. That very same night time, Tabb touched a second recruit’s buttocks, based on interviews with police investigators and courtroom information.
Alexus Byrd-Maxey was the primary recruit to report Tabb a number of months after she and Tabb began on the academy, however her accusation by no means grew to become a part of the prosecution’s case. Based on Byrd-Maxey, she was leaning over a classmate’s pc in March 2023 when Tabb walked behind her. She mentioned she felt his palms on her waist and his physique pressed up in opposition to her.
Byrd-Maxey tried to report Tabb a number of instances however was unsuccessful. Investigative information obtained by the Invisible Institute and ProPublica present that Tabb informed different recruits that Byrd-Maxey overreacted and that he had solely tapped her on the shoulder to get to his seat. Different recruits supported his story. Nearly three weeks later, there was a confrontation at school wherein she allegedly informed Tabb to “shut your bitch ass up” and supposedly used gang-related language. Byrd-Maxey denied these allegations however was fired.
Tabb and his legal professional, Dan Herbert, declined to remark, however Herbert had beforehand mentioned Tabb was harmless and blamed Byrd-Maxey for the claims by the opposite girls.
Whereas Byrd-Maxey couldn’t attend the listening to, her mother, Jauntaunne Byrd-Horne, was within the courtroom and later informed her daughter concerning the plea settlement. Byrd-Maxey mentioned she was upset.
“He’s been given grace, time and time once more. They let him be a free man,” she mentioned. “I really feel prefer it’s nonetheless not being taken significantly, once more.”
Sebastián Hidalgo contributed reporting.
Replace, June 11, 2025: This story has been up to date to incorporate a remark from the Cook dinner County state’s legal professional’s workplace, which dealt with the case. It additionally clarifies how costs have been dealt with within the plea settlement.
