Prosecutors claim Branch has a history of domestic incidents and his wife claims he once told her that if she ever cost him his job he would kill her... He allegedly grabbed his wife by the neck and slapped her, then pointed his gun at the male victim...Cop relieved of police powers after domestic incident
Chicago Sun-Times
April 2, 2008
A Cook County judge ordered a Chicago Police officer to surrender his gun and stay away from his estranged wife after he allegedly attacked her and another man Tuesday morning on the South Side. Englewood District Officer Donald Branch was ordered held on a $150,000 bond and Cook County Associate Judge Israel Diserto said that because of his dangerous, violent and outrageous actions, he must have no contact or communication with his wife, must surrender his gun and FOID card, and must abstain from drugs and alcohol, according to Cook County State's Attorney's office spokeswoman Tandra Simonton. Branch, 37, is charged with three counts of felony official misconduct, and one count each of misdemeanor domestic battery. The officer was on-duty and armed with his service weapon when he allegedly went to his wife’s house about 9:45 a.m. Tuesday and spotted her and another man exiting her home, prosecutors claimed. The couple has been separated and living in separate residences for about a year. Branch allegedly went to confront the pair and began to unholster his weapon. He allegedly grabbed his wife by the neck and slapped her, then pointed his gun at the male victim, court records said. The man ran northbound down Elizabeth Street and Branch allegedly chased him while pointing his gun at him. Branch's partner was allegedly calling for Branch to stop and then got into their unmarked squad car to go find his partner, court records said. Branch's wife called police. Branch lost sight of the man in a nearby alley and returned to his wife's home on foot, where he grabbed a shovel and smashed the windows of the man's truck. His wife suffered lacerations from the glass to her right hand and arm... Prosecutors claim Branch has a history of domestic incidents and his wife claims he once told her that if she ever cost him his job he would kill her, prosecutors said... [Full article here]
Chicago cop accused in confrontation is relieved of dutyOfficer's estranged wife was slapped, then thrown to ground, police say
Chicago Tribune
By Monique Garcia
April 2, 2008
...Donald Branch, a 16-year veteran assigned to the Englewood District, also appeared in court Tuesday and was ordered to surrender his Firearm Owner's Identification card as a condition of his bail. Prosecutors allege that Branch, 37, and his partner were on a plainclothes detail in an unmarked car when Branch went to his wife's home in the 11600 ) block of South Elizabeth Street around 9:45 a.m. Monday. The wife and the male friend were leaving the house when Branch approached the woman and started to take his service weapon out of its holster, said Assistant State's Atty. Michael Evans She screamed for Branch to stop when he put his hands around her neck, slapped her in the face and threw her to the ground... "This is a very severe and violent crime," Evans said Tuesday. "It's outrageous conduct; it's brazen conduct by an officer on duty with his service weapon"... Branch and his wife have been separated for about a year and have three children... A judge set his bail at $150,000... [Full article here]
Judge Orders Accused Officer To Surrender GunWMAQ-TV
April. 3, 2008
CHICAGO - A Cook County judge ordered a Chicago police officer to surrender his gun and stay away from his estranged wife after he allegedly attacked her and another man Tuesday morning on the South Side. Englewood District Officer Donald Branch was ordered held on $150,000 bond by Cook County Associate Judge Israel Diserto, who said that because of his dangerous, violent and outrageous actions, he must have no contact or communication with his wife, must surrender his gun and FOID card, and must abstain from drugs and alcohol, according to Cook County State's Attorney's office spokeswoman Tandra Simonton. Branch, 37, is charged with three counts of felony official misconduct and one count each of misdemeanor domestic battery. "This is a very severe, violent crime," Assistant State's Attorney Michael Evans said... Responding officers arrived to find Branch and the woman arguing in the front yard. Evans cited "previous incidents" when police were called to the wife's house... The incident is being investigated by Chicago police and the city Independent Police Review Authority. Herbert said Branch and his wife have been married for 13 years and lived together until a few months ago. They have children and "communicate with each other several times a day," he said. Diserto scheduled his next court appearance for April 23... [Full article here]
Cop charged with attacking estranged wife, smashing carON DUTY | Officer chased her friend, pointed gun at him, prosecutor says
Chicago Sun-Times
BY ERIC HERMAN Criminal Courts Reporter eherman@suntimes.com
April 3, 2008
... Branch is a 16-year police veteran who worked out of the 7th District. He is now on "no-pay status" and has been relieved of his police powers... Branch's lawyer, Dan Herbert, disputed prosecutors' version of events. He described Branch as a "highly decorated Chicago Police officer" and a "good man." At a court hearing Wednesday, Judge Israel Desierto set Branch's bond at $150,000. Branch posted 10 percent and got out of jail Wednesday afternoon... [Full article here]
Unfortuanely this has happened. I also think that the officer has dedicated 16yrs to our city and we he should not be given the boot that easy. Jail time and lost of Job is to harsh. He may need counceling and another form of punishment. This matter is personal and children are involved. Both he and his wife need counceling. I think this was a crime of passion or he temporarily snapped. He could have actually shot these people but did not. I think it sad but I think God can work this out. Nobodys perfect and im sure we all have did things we want forgiveness for without losing our job. In time i know they will all friends and this will never happen again. We need to build each other up and not destroy lives.
ReplyDeleteThat's sweet but a.) the main concern right now isn't him. He's homicidal currently.
ReplyDeleteb.) That standard of justice would have to be applied to all. Officers aren't the only ones that have done good things.
c.)Where is your concern for the victims? Sort of missing. It's not about his punishment or loss for me. It's who's going to protect the victims.
Yes, "victims", of Officer Branch.
Notice the words "history of...".
That's way too much compassion. This spilled into the streets but didn't rise up out of nowhere.
This is long-time fears made manifest for all to see.
He does need help, but first the victims need help and he needs accountability - as much or more than the rest of us would - since he took an oath and was empowered with a public trust.
The oath did not say I will uphold the law most of the time and only ocassionally try to kill people or terrorize them.
The oath doesn't exclude family.
This rests on the pd brass too.
im averagewg....i want to apologize to you that you think thqat im showing too much compassion to one and not the other.A)Are you close to this situation to just say someone his homicidal?B)standards of justice well i know situations that mirror this and bond was not the same and still on pay status,C)i do have great concern for victims,...since they moved on why didnt they get a divorce, and i think that the children are victims to. is it okay to see another female carry baggae of being finacilly responsible for children thats why i said he should be punished just not fired. I am a female who was actually lived this life as the officer, should i have been jailed or fired..i think not...I wa involved many years ago in a relationship that "took me there" and i was so wrong, i look back on how i was and those incident i had with my now ex husband didnt reflect me as a person. We cant be be busy on seekig revenge or wanting people to suffer. Because when this blows over and it will they wife and husband still will be mother and father to children involved. I know that people involved hearts need to be softend but it takes a certain amount of spirtuallity to look at it they way I am. I never met a person in a positin to judge. God is good and allow him to handle this
ReplyDeleteive know this man personally for over 25yrs. there are so many incidents that this is not shocking to me. the bad thing about this is that, this man if allowed to keep his job must protect women. i also had an altercation with him, where he called the police on me and fabricated a story. he can not be trusted and has been in the need of help. police officers it seems to me evetually believe that they are above the law.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, if you want to rewrite your comment so that he can't tell who you are let me know. I wouldn't make this guy mad unless he was locked up for life.
ReplyDeleteBe safe.
i dont care about making him mad because i am not a woman that he outweighs by over 75lbs.
ReplyDeletei have know this cople personally for 25+ years as well and he has been abusing her since high school and YES he needs help and its about time she called the POLICE ON THE POLICE.
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