CHICAGO (CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM) – The family of the five-year-old boy who died in a drunk driving crash in Steger early Monday is preparing to file two separate suits against the Chicago Heights Police Dept.
One suit is expected to be filed in Cook County Circuit Court by Kathy LaFond, the mother of five-year-old Michael Langford Jr., who died in the accident.
The other is expected to be filed in Will County Circuit Court by the child’s uncle, Martin LaFond.
Both suits are expected to focus on actions by a second-year Chicago Heights officer who handed 22-year-old Cecil Conner the keys to Kathy LaFond’s car 45 minutes before the fatal accident.
Family members said that Conner and Kathy LaFond have been dating for close to a year.
The Chicago Heights officer cited Kathy LaFond, for driving on a suspended license after stopping her for failing to signal a turn. He told superiors that he saw no sign that Conner was impaired, even though Conner was found shortly after the accident to have a blood alcohol level of .208.
Bond was set at $500,000 during a hearing in Joliet Tuesday, after which relatives of Conner said that the officer deserved “half the blame” and should have been hauled into court as well.
Conner was expressionless as he watched the proceedings via a video hookup to the courtroom of Will County Judge Marzell Richardson Jr.
Asst. State’s Attorney Debbie Mills made no mention of the traffic stop in Chicago Heights at 3 a.m. Monday, which put Conner behind the wheel.
Judge Richardson mentioned the Chicago Heights stop briefly, appearing to open the door for possible probation if convicted.
Mills said that when Conner lost control of LaFond’s Chevrolet Cavalier, it ran down a fence and hit two trees before coming to rest, killing the child, who was strapped into a child safety seat in the car’s back seat.
Conner faces four counts of aggravated driving while intoxicated, a crime that carries a prison sentence of 3 to 14 years in prison if convicted, with the possibility of probation only in “exceptional circumstances.”
Outside of court, relatives and friends of Conner argued that the case warranted the exception.
“He would never hurt that kid. He loved that kid,” said Tim Roop, a cousin of Conner, who conceded that Conner had been drinking Sunday night and early Monday.
“She knew he was intoxicated and no one’s looking at that,” Roop said. “It’s all bad news on Cecil. It shouldn’t be that way.”
Roop also blamed the second-year Chicago Heights officer, who said Conner appeared normal, did not smell of alcohol and did not slur his speech during the 3 a.m. stop.
“The Chicago Heights cop should be in there (before the judge), too,” Roop said. “This is half his blame.”
The argument is one that Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow rejects.
“Certainly there’s no mitigation for an individual who knows their condition and remains silent, taking advantage of bad judgment by someone else,” Glasgow said. “If that’s going to be an argument, it’s going to go nowhere.”
Kathy LaFond is being represented by attorney Mark Horwitz. Martin LaFond is being represented by attorney Kathleen Zellner.
Glasgow said any action relative to the Chicago Heights stop, and the officer’s actions, would be up to Cook County authorities.
Conner returns to court June 1.
Bob Roberts Reporting
Read the original article from WBBM News Radio.