Richard Smith, 44, was facing charges of aggravated battery and official misconduct for the September 2022 incident, in which he allegedly punched the inmate more than 30 times in the head and torso. Prosecutors dismissed the charges without explanation last Thursday during a hearing that was supposed to be the first day of Smith’s bench trial, according to court records.
“Probably that’s the best resolution that you may have seen today, correct?” Judge Laura Ayala-Gonzalez asked Smith before dismissing the case.
“Correct,” Smith replied.
In a written statement, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office said it had reassessed the case and determined it could not meet the burden of proof…