Hours after Chicago’s mayor and police superintendent called on judges and prosecutors to hold looters and rioters responsible, the first accused participant in Monday’s downtown pillaging appeared in bond court.
And he went home for $500.
Prosecutors charged Demisck Lomax, age 25, with felony aggravated battery of a police officer, criminal damage to property, resisting police, and announced their intention to also charge Lomax with looting in an afternoon appearance before Judge Mary Marubio.
At 12:52 a.m. Monday, two cops assigned to help deal with looting on the Magnificent Mile allegedly saw Lomax holding a brick next to a window at the Burberry store, 633 North Michigan.
They watched as he threw the brick into the store’s window and officers moved in, Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy said.
When a sergeant approached Lomax, the Joliet resident wound up and threw a brick at the cop, striking him in the hand, Murphy said. Police chased Lomax down Ontario Street and arrested him.
A CWBChicago reporter was at the scene as looters threw rocks, a clay pot, and other objects at cops who hustled Lomax to a police vehicle.
The brick caused lacerations and bruising to the sergeant’s hand, Murphy said. Police body cameras captured footage of Lomax throwing the brick at him, according to Murphy.
Lomax admitted to throwing a brick at the Burberry store window, Murphy said, but he denied throwing one at the cop.
Prosecutors said Lomax has three prior felony convictions for narcotics-related crimes. He completed all three sentences unsatisfactorily and now faces a sentence of three to fourteen years if convicted.
After telling Lomax that “every sentence that you’ve received has been terminated unsatisfactorily,” Judge Marubio set his bail at $5,000. Lomax’s family posted a $500 deposit bond a short time later and he went home. He is due back in court next Monday.
