Chicago Cop charged in plot to kill fellow officer

The Chicago Tribune reports:

A Chicago police officer already at the center of a corruption probe has been charged with plotting to hire someone to murder a fellow former police officer, who he believed was cooperating with authorities.

The U.S. attorney unveiled charges today alleging that Jerome A. Finnigan was recorded talking to a fellow officer, now cooperating undercover with federal authorities. The recording allegedly captured Finnigan talking about hiring a street-gang member, or a professional hit man, to kill a former officer he believed was providing information to investigators in the ongoing state and federal probe of the Chicago Police Department's special operations section.

Finnigan, 44, was arrested Wednesday morning at his Southwest Side house by FBI agents and was scheduled to appear in federal court at 2 p.m.


In telephone recordings made last week, Finnigan and the cooperating witness discuss whether they should hire a member of a Hispanic street gang or a "professional hit man" to kill the officer, referring to the planned hit as a "paint job."

The recordings also captured the officers talking about the possibility of murdering an additional officer, who they believed was also cooperating with authorities, according to court papers.

Finnigan allegedly had multiple meetings and phone conversations with the cooperating police officer over the last week.

Great moments in a gun control city like Chicago.