Park Forest officer charged in World War II vet's death goes on trial Tuesday

By Steve Schmadeke
Chicago Tribune
JANUARY 12, 2015, 5:14 AM

Was Park Forest police Officer Craig Taylor acting out of a reasonable fear for his life or recklessly when he shot five beanbag rounds inside an assisted ­living facility, killing a knife­ wielding 95­year­-old resident? It's a question that's expected to be decided this week inside a first­floor Markham courtroom, where Associate Judge Luciano Panici will determine whether Taylor's actions were criminal or not. The bench trial starting Tuesday over World War II veteran John Wrana's death comes amid national discord over police accountability after unarmed black men died at the hands of officers in Missouri and New York and no one was indicted.

While race has not been an issue in this case — Wrana was white and Taylor is black — similar concerns over aggressive police tactics have been raised. In bringing a rare criminal prosecution against an on­duty police officer, State's Attorney Anita Alvarez said that "other viable options" could have been used to subdue Wrana other than the "violent extrication" chosen by Park Forest police. Taylor, one of five on a team of officers, fired a series of rapid beanbag shots at close range at the senior citizen. But all the officers told state police investigators that Wrana ignored their repeated warnings to drop the weapon and approached them with the serrated knife raised above his head. And Taylor's attorney, Terry Ekl, has said Wrana, who was acting erratically, could have killed himself with the knife if officers didn't act quickly.

"My job was to protect and serve, and that's whatI did that night," Taylor, 44, a Park Forest officer since 2004, told the Tribune in October in his first mpublic comment since he was charged with reckless conduct. Police were called to the Victory Centre retirement home in southwest suburban Park Forest on July 26, 2013, after Wrana resisted efforts by staff and paramedics to take him to the hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, striking one paramedic with his cane. By the time the five officers gathered outside his apartment, Wrana was holding a knife with a 7­inch blade and threatening to throw it or cut officers with it.

Moments later, police Cmdr. Michael Baugh led the way into Wrana's apartment carrying a ballistic shield and tried to subdue the elderly man with a Taser, but the prongs missed. Taylor, who had been instructed by Baugh to use the beanbag rounds if the Taser didn't work, then fired at Wrana until he dropped the knife — five rounds in all. Wrana died about five hours later after refusing surgery to stanch the internal bleeding that resulted after he was struck in the abdomen. With few of the facts about what happened that night in dispute, the trial may hinge on testimony from expert witnesses. The one hired by Taylor — Steve Ijames, a former Springfield, Mo., assistant police chief who now consults on use­of­force cases — has said Taylor acted properly and would have been justified in using his service weapon to stop Wrana. Park Forest Deputy Chief Christopher Mannino, who was Taylor's training supervisor, is expected to testify in much the same way. Prosecutors intend to call an expert of their own — Francis R. Murphy, a Florida­based consultant on police tactics — to rebut those claims. In his 17­page report, Murphy said the officers should have used their ballistic shield to knock Wrana to the ground and acted improperly in deploying a Taser and beanbag rounds.

"The situation went from the refusal to provide a voluntary urine sample to death at the hands of police use of unreasonable force," wrote Murphy, noting that officers never used pepper spray or gave Wrana time to cool off. "The existing situation demanded patience and it is obvious that the police just wanted to quickly end the stand off and seize Wrana." Ekl has sought to bar some or all of Murphy's testimony, arguing that he has no expertise in the use of beanbag shotguns. Ekl also wants to block Murphy from testifying that Wrana was mentally ill at the time because he has no medical expertise and his testimony would contradict statements from doctors who found that the elderly man was lucid that night. Panici has not yet ruled on the request. Another police consultant contacted by the state's attorney's office concluded the officers followed proper procedure, according to a letter that the prosecutor assigned to the case sent Ekl. Along with the knife Wrana was holding, Taylor's attorney has indicated he wants the judge to see the ballistic vest and shield used by the Park Forest
officers. Wrana's family has filed a lawsuit against Taylor and Park Forest that has been put on hold until the criminal case concludes.

sschmadeke@tribpub.com
Twitter @SteveSchmadeke

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