Five charged with perjury in officer's death

CHICAGO -- Cook County prosecutors have taken the somewhat rare step of charging five men with perjury for their testimony during the trials of a man convicted of murdering a Chicago police officer.

One of the five pleaded guilty last week and was sentenced to 2 years in prison. Three others have been arrested, and police continue to search for the fifth person, a spokesman for the Cook County state's attorney's office said.

Police and prosecutors say all five are street gang members.

"This wasn't a couple of people coming in and changing their stories," said Michael Smith, supervisor of the Cook County state's attorney's gang prosecution unit. "This was a clear, orchestrated attempt by the Gangster Disciples to get away with murdering a police officer."

Pat Gleason, director of Chicago operations for the Cook County public defender's office, acknowledged that perjury prosecutions are somewhat rare, calling the move to charge five witnesses in one case with perjury "unusual."

The state's attorney's office said the conflicting witness statements could have jeopardized a conviction.

Michael Ceriale, 26, a rookie officer, was seriously wounded on Aug. 15, 1998, as he and his partner were on a stakeout. He died six days later.

In statements to police and a grand jury, witnesses described the gang's operations and identified gang member Jonathan Tolliver as the teenager who fired the fatal shot.

But the witnesses recanted their testimony at trial and contended that police had coerced their statements.

Tolliver was convicted in May 2001 after a second trial and sentenced to 60 years in prison. Thee other men pleaded guilty in the case.

Arrest warrants for the five witnesses were issued last summer, the state's attorney's office said.

Frederick Montgomery Rias, 22, pleaded guilty Tuesday.

A hearing for one of the three people arrested -- Calvin Brown, 20 -- is scheduled for today. Police also have arrested Nicole Williams, 24, and Carlos Hendricks, 24. Trevyon Louis, 26, is still being sought. All are from Chicago.