CHICAGO — A Chicago police officer who was criminally charged in connection with an on-duty shooting at a busy CTA platform during rush hour in 2020 was acquitted by a judge Tuesday in a decision that drew cheers from some in the packed courtroom but was decried by police reform advocates and attorneys for the man who was shot.
Melvina Bogard, 33, was charged with aggravated battery and official misconduct in the Feb. 28, 2020 shooting of Ariel Roman at the Grand Avenue Red Line station, which was captured by cell phone video and went viral, spurring quick condemnation from community members and city officials.
Bogard, who has been an officer with CPD since November 2017, opted to stand trial before a judge, rather than a jury, appearing before Cook County Judge Joseph Claps beginning in September.
