NAARPR

Man shot 25 times by police, charged with attempted murder
WMAQ-TV -- Chicago

Jan. 4, 2006

CHICAGO -- Rarely do you hear of a man being shot 25 times -- and surviving. And perhaps just as rare is a $188,000 bail being posted by an anonymous donor.

But both things happened to Howard Morgan.

Morgan is charged with four counts of attempted murder against police officers, three counts of aggravated battery and a weapons charge. But those charges have not stopped the community from supporting him because many believe he was wronged.

Morgan and his wife, Rosalind, are very connected to the Church of the Living God on West Marquette. He's a deacon, her sister is the current pastor, and her father is a bishop at the church. It is through God, they say, they've gained strength.

Morgan said "the grace of God," along with help from his family, kept him going after an incident that changed his life.

At 12:49 a.m. on Feb. 21, 2005, police say, they pulled Morgan over at 19th and Lawndale for driving without his lights on. Within minutes, he lay shot 25 times by police.

"I said, 'Oh my God, who would shoot someone 25 times?' They had to have been trying to kill him. And for what reason?" Rosalind Morgan asked.

Howard Morgan says a bullet is still lodged in his hip, and there are bullet fragments in his leg.

"Only through God's grace do I sit before you to talk to you," he told NBC5's Marion Brooks.

At the time, police spokesman Pat Camden said Morgan pulled a gun.

"They put him against the van to run a quick pat-down search, he immediately starts fighting with the officers," Camden said. "Our offender pulls a automatic ... semiautomatic pistol at that point, starts firing at the officers, the officers return fire."

Two officers were also shot, and were treated and released from area hospitals.

On the day of the shooting, Camden said Morgan had been stating he was a police officer when "obviously, he's not."

But it turned out that Morgan was a current police officer with the railroad, and in that capacity had the right to have a gun.

Morgan was also a Chicago police officer for eight years, he says, with an unblemished record.

And Morgan's attorneys say he never shot at police.

"Howard has committed no crime whatsoever," said retired Judge Leo Holt, who is representing Morgan.

Attorney Sam Adam asked, "What if it is that Howard is the victim here?"

Morgan's attorneys also say he had no motive to shoot.

"You have a man who is experienced to the hilt in policing. He's not going to get upset because of a minor traffic stop," Holt said.

But what does have Howard Morgan upset -- is the $2 million bond set in his case.

"I have a background in law enforcement. That should have been considered," he said. "A clean record. Just as a citizen didn't have any problems, that should have been considered. It wasn't."

Holt said the bond was very unusual.

"In my years as a practicing attorney and the 18 years that I sat on the bench, I've never seen a bond like it," Holt said. "People charged with murder who were out on less bond."

And for Rosalind Morgan, the bond turned into a crusade. She began a campaign to raise bond money for her husband, attracting the attention of WVON Radio's Cliff Kelly, who took it on as a cause.

"The whole thing sounded phony right from the beginning, particularly when we found out about his background," Kelly said.

Rosalind Morgan said Kelly "became the navigator of the ship" when it came to her husband's cause.

She was able to raise over $12,000 from the community through rallies and the radio. Then, an anonymous donor came forward with almost $188,000 -- enough to met the bond and get Howard Morgan out of jail. He was released on Nov. 22.

"I thank God that they sent an angel of mercy to come," Rosalind Morgan said.

"It was unbelievable to me. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan are people of deep faith. Mrs. Morgan had said all along, God was going to come to Howard's aid," Holt said. "Mrs. Morgan is making a believer out of me."

The Mogans have a long fight ahead. Howard Morgan is still charged. He has a status hearing next week. Chicago Police won't comment on the case because it is ongoing.

The police office of professional standards is also still conducting an investigation.