Tenth Floor
The Illinois Administrator has filed a complaint alleging misconduct unrelated to the practice of law.
The allegations
As of January 2, 2018, Respondent, who is visually impaired, had a history of making threatening and/or harassing statements to his neighbor, Avon Howard-White (“Howard-White”). At that time, Respondent and Howard-White had been neighbors for several years in a Chicago Housing Authority senior living apartment building located at 116 W. Elm Street (“the Elm Street building”) in Chicago. Respondent and Howard-White knew each other but had never had a friendship or personal relationship. Respondent resided on the third floor and Howard-White resided on the 10th floor of the Elm Street building.
On January 2, 2018, Respondent took an elevator to the 10th floor of the Elm Street building and approached Howard-White’s door. Around the same time, Howard-White opened her door to take out a bag of garbage. Respondent pushed Howard-White backwards and forced his way into Howard-White’s apartment. Respondent then punched Howard-White with his fist and pushed her back into a corner against her kitchen counter and stove, where he choked her from behind with his arm. Respondent said “I bet you didn’t think I was going to come up in here like this” and “I’m going to kick your ass up in here.” Respondent then fell to the ground and Howard-White was able to jump over him and escape her apartment and run to another 10th floor apartment, where that resident, Willie Quinn, telephoned the police. Respondent then exited Howard-White’s apartment, entered the elevator and went back to his own apartment.
A police detective arrived and reviewed a surveillance video of the 10th floor
On January 2, 2018, after also interviewing Howard-White, Officer Brownridge went to Respondent’s apartment with an Elm Street building maintenance worker and knocked on the door. Respondent did not answer, and Officer Brownridge requested the maintenance worker unlock the door. Respondent was present and at that time, Officer Brownridge spoke to Respondent while wearing a body camera. Respondent told Officer Brownridge that “I stopped by and knocked on [Howard-White’s] door. She didn’t answer so I left.” Officer Brownridge asked Respondent if he had ever been romantically involved with Howard-White, and Respondent answered “in the future.” Respondent complained that Howard-White had called the police about him previously and that she “was fucking crazy.” Respondent admitted to Officer Brownridge that he had been drinking alcohol. At around 11:00 pm on January 2, 2018, Officer Brownridge arrested Respondent and transported him to a police station.
On January 2nd and into January 3, 2018, Detective Kinsella interviewed Respondent at the police station. Respondent told Detective Kinsella that he and Howard-White had been acquaintances for three years. Respondent claimed that on January 2, 2018, he was holding a beer and knocked on Howard-White’s door and she allowed him in, after which he said “I hear you’re dating George” and she attacked him. Respondent claimed that he did not touch Howard-White. When Detective Kinsella informed Respondent that surveillance video showed Respondent pushing his way into the apartment, Respondent said that the door was open and so he walked in. When asked if he knew Howard-White’s age, Respondent acknowledged that Howard-White was “66, 67, something like that.”
Criminal charges were filed
On October 24, 2018, Respondent pled guilty to the second count of aggravated battery of a person 60 years of age or older, in violation of 720 ILCS 5/12-3.05(d)(1). As part of the plea agreement the state dismissed count one.
(Mike Frisch)