OAK LAWN, IL — The Cook County State’s Attorney has dropped excessive force charges Wednesday morning against Oak Lawn Police Officer Patrick O’Donnell. The officer’s bench trail was set to begin Thursday at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building.
O’Donnell, 35, was captured in a viral citizen’s video repeatedly punching 17-year-old Hadi Abuatelah in the head after the youth fled a traffic stop. Abuatelah was later discovered to be carrying a loaded 9mm pistol in a cross body bag.
The officer was indicted in February 2023 on felony charges of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, aggravated battery in the public way, and official misconduct under former Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s administration.
The Arab American Action Network is planning a protest outside the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office building, 69 W. Washington, downtown Chicago.
After almost two years of pretrial motions and preparation, the Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke’s office dropped the charges the day before the trial was set to begin.
“Today, a grave injustice has been committed against our community,” said Muhammed Sankari. Lead organizer for the AAAN in a written statement. “Instead of carrying out her duty to hold everyone accountable to the law, State’s Attorney Eileen Burke is returning the office to the old style Chicago politics of back room dealings and cover-ups of misconduct, where one corrupt and guilty hand washes the other.”
An Oak Lawn village official also confirmed to Patch that the charges against O’Donnell had been dropped.
This is a developing story and will be updated when new information becomes available.
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